Groundwater U 2024: DOE demonstrates in-situ pilot study at SSFL

In 2024, the Department of Energy (DOE) joined with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), Boeing and NASA to host the education workshop series called Groundwater U, which culminated in a site tour at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) on April 6, 2024. The goal of the workshops and tour was to educate stakeholders about groundwater at SSFL and prepare community members to review and comment on future groundwater decision documents for the site, where DOE previously conducted liquid metals and nuclear energy research at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC).

During the tour, Josh Mengers, ETEC’s federal project director, and Ryan Wymore of CDM Smith presented an educational model using rice and purple water, dyed from boiled cabbage leaves, to demonstrate the movement of contaminants in the groundwater and explain how in-situ treatment would work. The proposed treatment is part of a pilot study for interim groundwater measures being conducted where the Hazardous Materials Storage Area used to be located. The in-situ pilot study was approved in July 2025 and began in August 2025.

Read More: https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/groundwater-u-prepares-community-weigh-etec-cleanup