EA entered into an 8-year performance-based remediation contract with the U.S. Air Force that included optimization of the groundwater treatment systems. Â EA utilized a systematic TREE process to identify opportunities for Accelerated Site Closures (Tier 1), Sustainable Operations (Tier 2), and Long-Term Operation/Long-Term Monitoring Optimizations (Tier 3) for all phases of the environmental remediation life cycle.
Through 2018, and by implementing Tier 3, EA has shut down extraction wells and/or reduced groundwater extraction by 1.9 mgd over the first 2 years of the contract that has resulted in reduction in energy consumption, reduced media changeouts, elimination of sampling at the shutdown wells, and one system taken off-line. For example, EA conducted a pilot test in support of a proposed revision to the granular activated carbon media changeout criteria that allowed for a 2- to 3-fold increase in granular activated carbon bed life (resulted in a cost savings of $20,000/changeout). EA implemented a passive weekly wellhead preventative maintenance treatment program that required minimal labor/effort and has increased the time between well redevelopment from semi-annual to annual, saving approximately $40,000 per well redevelopment event. Through statistical analysis and modeling, EA also obtained regulatory approval to reduce environmental groundwater monitoring by over 200 samples annually.  EA completed these optimizations while maintaining protectiveness and maintaining the remediation timeframes by demonstrating progress toward these goals with clear and measurable metrics on an annual basis through Optimized Exit Strategy Annual Performance Monitoring Reports.
