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Transamerica Life Canada, RAP Implementation & Site Redevelopment – Former Sunarhauserman Site

XCG was hired to replace the consultant (as the work was found to be inadequate) that had initially been engaged to do a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and preliminary remedial cost estimate. XCG re-did the Phase I and then designed and implemented a staged series of Phase II and Phase III investigations to delineate and quantify subsurface soil and ground-water impacts on a 30-acre property in Waterloo, Ontario. This property was occupied by a large plant that had manufactured steel office furniture and other steel products since the early 1930s. This property had been acquired by Transamerica as a result of a foreclosure and required decommissioning and demolition prior to being sold and redeveloped. In addition to the subsurface investigations, XCG also completed a designated substances and hazardous materials survey of the building structure on the property, prior to building demolition.


The subsurface investigations on this site found elevated concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) and other related compounds in the groundwater within a confined aquifer beneath one area of the site. The confined aquifer is used as a source of drinking water by the municipality, approximately 800 m from the subject site. The TCE concentrations found in groundwater samples from the confined aquifer ranged in concentration from about 3,500 ppb to 15,000 ppb.


XCG used groundwater modelling software to model the groundwater flow regime in the vicinity of the subject site, in order to design a groundwater remediation system. XCG undertook an extensive review of available remediation technologies for treatment of the contaminated groundwater.


On the basis of XCG’s review, a pump-and-treat system using an AOP unit as the groundwater treatment process was found to be the most cost-effective risk management / remedial action plan (RM/RAP) solution that was acceptable to the regulatory authorities who were involved with the site (mainly because of the proximity of the water supply well). XCG was instrumental in negotiating with the regulatory authorities to allow the property to be sold and redeveloped prior to the implementation of the pump-and-treat remediation system. There was initially some resistance to this approach, but it was made possible, within a relatively short time-frame (several months) through the establishment of an agreement between the client and the municipality, containing terms and conditions for the establishment and operation of the groundwater remediation system.


XCG completed a detailed process design for the groundwater remediation system, and coordinated and supervised its installation. The remediation system and long-term groundwater monitoring program form the basis of the RM/RAP for this site, which is still being executed and managed by XCG.


Following the resolution of the environmental issues, and based on the agreement between the client and the municipality, the redevelopment of the property as a senior’s retirement village (Luther Village) proceeded under the management of MacNaughton, Hermsen, Britton, Clarkson (MHBC) Planning Ltd.


In 2003 the Canadian Urban Institute presented to XCG and MHBC Planning the 2003 Brownie Award for “Best Small/Medium Scale Project” for this Luther Village project.


Kevin Shipley started this project in 1992 and continues to date to manage this on-going project.

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