Groundwater Remediation

Protecting the Columbia River from Legacy Contamination

During Hanford’s decades of plutonium production, large volumes of radioactive and chemical contamination made their way into the groundwater beneath the Site.

Common contaminants include:

  • Hexavalent chromium

  • Strontium-90

  • Uranium

  • Carbon tetrachloride

  • Technetium-99

  • Trichloroethylene (TCE)

  • Tritium

A Comprehensive Treatment Strategy

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its contractor, the Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo), operate an extensive groundwater treatment program designed to prevent contaminants from reaching the Columbia River.

This program includes:

  • Over 2,000 monitoring and extraction wells across the site

  • Five operational pump-and-treat facilities along the Columbia River

  • One pump-and-treat facility at the center of the Site

Cleanup Results

These systems collectively treat billions of gallons of groundwater every year.

  • Last year alone: Over 2.2 billion gallons treated

  • Since cleanup began: More than 23 billion gallons treated

  • Contamination removed: Over 500 tons of hazardous materials extracted from the environment

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