Groundwater Monitoring for Landfills in Texas
Liner requirements for MSW landfills were standardized by federal regulations,
referred to as RCRA Subtitle D, which became effective October 9, 1993. The TCEQ
audits groundwater monitoring results for all municipal solid waste landfills,
including those constructed before Subtitle D requirements, and reviews corrective
action plans and remedial activities if groundwater contamination occurs. If
groundwater analyses indicate an increase from background concentrations for any
constituent, the facility must initiate assessment monitoring unless it is
demonstrated that a source other than the landfill caused the increase, or that the
increase resulted from natural variation in groundwater quality, or an error in
sampling, analysis, or statistical evaluation. During assessment monitoring, if one or
more constituents are detected at statistically significant levels above groundwater
protection standards, the facility must characterize the nature and extent of the
release, notify, and implement corrective action.
Status of Groundwater Contamination for Identified Facilities in the
Houston Area
The annual Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report for calendar
year 2014 is currently being compiled for all landfills in Texas. The chart below
details the current groundwater monitoring well status for the five facilities
specifically mentioned. To summarize the data, there are six monitoring wells that
are currently exceeding the groundwater protection standard out of the 22
monitoring wells identified. The monitoring wells currently above the groundwater
protection standard are: MW-11LB, MW-12UB and MW-46LB at McCarty Road Landfill
for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and MW-7, MW-11 and MW-15 at Fort Bend
County Landfill for VOCs. These facilities have expanded their landfill gas collection
systems and/or treated the groundwater as appropriate. The corrective action
measures at McCarty Road Landfill include a groundwater recovery trench and well
system, a treatment plant using air stripping technology, monitored natural
attenuation, and enhanced bioremediation. The Fort Bend County installed a gas
recovery system in 1989. They also operate a secondary containment gas recovery
system for areas immediately outside of the landfill.
A current list of active facilities is located at
http://www.tceq.texas.gov/permitting/waste_permits/msw_permits/msw-data. Please
note, the list does not break down the facility location by city, but it can be sorted
by county.
Facility
Fort Bend
County Landfill

File Number
1554A – Type I
(Pre D and
Subtitle D site)

Current Monitoring Status
*Corrective Action:
PZ-15, PZ-16, PZ-18 for VOCs (1,2,3-trichloropropane,
cis-1,2-dichloroethene)
MW-13 for VOC (trichloroethene, vinyl chloride)
MW-11, MW-13, MW-14, MW-15, MW-16 for VOC (cis1,2-dichloroethene)
(Limits below the groundwater protection standard)
*Corrective Action:
MW-7 for VOCs (cis-1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl

Chance Goodin, Waste Permits Division

March 26, 2015

 chloride)
MW-11 for VOC (vinyl chloride)
MW-15 for VOC (trichloroethene)
(Limits above the groundwater protection standard)
Assessment:
MW-4UB for arsenic, cobalt, nickel
MW-8LB for barium, mercury, nickel
MW-10UB for VOCs (1,4-dichlorobenzene,
chlorobenzene)
MW-43UB for VOC (cis-1,2-dichloroethene)
MW-46UB for VOC (benzene)
*Corrective Action:
MW-11LB for copper, mercury and VOCs
(chlorobenzene, chloroform, toluene, xylenes)
MW-11UBR for cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc and VOCs
(benzene, chlorobenzene, chloroform, toluene)
MW-12UB for VOCs (1,1-dichloroethene, benzene,
carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chloroform, cis1,2-dichloroethene)
(Limits below the groundwater protection standard)
*Corrective Action:
MW-11LB for VOCs (benzene, carbon tetrachloride)
MW-12UB for VOCs (tetrachloroethene,
trichloroethene)
MW-46LB for VOC (benzene)
(Limits above the groundwater protection standard)
Assessment:
MW-8-1 for VOCs (benzene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, pdichlorobenzene, vinyl chloride)
MW-8-1R for VOC (cis-1,2-dichloroethene)
MW-9-1 for VOC (benzene)

McCarty Road
Landfill

261B – Type I
(Pre D and
Subtitle D site)

Atascocita
Recycling and
Disposal
Facility

1307D – Type I
(Pre D and
Subtitle D site)

Casco Hauling
and Excavation
Company
Sprint-Fort
Bend County
Landfill

1403 – Type IV

All wells are in detection monitoring.

1797A – Type IV

All wells are in detection monitoring.

Data from 2014 semiannual events.
*330.415(f)(2) - Remedies shall be considered complete when compliance with the
Groundwater Protection Standards (GWPS) has been achieved by demonstrating that
concentrations have not exceeded the GWPS for three years.
GWPS – refers to a primary maximum contaminant level for drinking water, a background
value, or a protective concentration level determined under 30 TAC Chapter 350, Texas Risk
Reduction Program.

Chance Goodin, Waste Permits Division

March 26, 2015