Oklahoma County Jail Groundwater Investigations
Guernsey performed initial groundwater investigations and quarterly sampling for the Oklahoma County Jail.
This investigation and sampling were required because sewer lines under the County Jail were corroded, which allowed sewage, including kitchen waste, to seep into the groundwater regime underlying the jail.
Guernsey installed three monitoring wells (MWs), obtained groundwater samples from the three MWs, and collected water samples from the sump pump (SP) in the basement of the County Jail facility. The groundwater and sump pump samples were analyzed for Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Surfactant, Oil and Grease (O&G), Ammonia, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), pH, Phosphorus, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Nitrates, and Fecal Coliforms. In addition, because of a previous episode/event, MW-3 was also analyzed for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s).
Upon the completion of sampling events, reports were prepared for the County. Overall results identified the following:
- Groundwater was identified 10-15 feet below ground surface throughout the property
- Though not specifically delineated, groundwater appeared to be flowing in a southeasterly/southern direction
- Water quality data indicated contamination characteristic of water under the influence of raw sewage
Recommendations were made for additional monitoring/delineation and options for mitigating contamination