Former Chamberlain Manufacturing Facility Site in Waterloo, Iowa
The former Chamberlain Manufacturing facility is located at 550 Esther Street in Waterloo, Iowa. The facility manufactured metal washer wringers, aluminum awnings, refrigerator shelves, and metal projectile parts at the 23-acre site. The former owner ceased operations at the facility in the 1990s. In 2005, the city of Waterloo purchased the site. Since that time, multiple investigations and response actions have been performed under the oversight of EPA and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The city completed partial sampling of soil and groundwater, asbestos abatement, and the removal of all building structures at the site. Contractor representatives of the Chamberlain Manufacturing Company subsequently conducted additional soil and groundwater sampling to fully characterize the extent of soil and groundwater contamination at the site.
EPA Region 7 issued Chamberlain Manufacturing a Unilateral Administrative Order in 2010. As required by the Order, Chamberlain Manufacturing developed and implemented work plans for determining the extent of vapor intrusion of volatile organic compounds into homes. Vapor mitigation systems have been installed at multiple homes where sub-slab and indoor air concentrations of contaminants have exceeded health-based levels. Chamberlain has also implemented interim corrective measures to address source areas of groundwater contaminants. Final cleanup of the soil is pending the city of Waterloo’s determination of the future use of facility property.