Overview
Since 2018, Ford has conducted investigation work under the direction of the Santa Ana Water Board (Water Board) to characterize the extent of soil vapor impacts (click here to see a map of the investigation area). In 2021 and 2022, as requested by the Water Board, Ford prepared community-specific Feasibility Studies (FSs) or Feasibility Study/Remedial Action Plans (FS/RAPs) based on the findings of the Human Health Risk Assessments (see the History/Investigation tab for more information on these Assessments). The FSs and FS/RAPs evaluate different methods to address groundwater, soil gas, and indoor air impacts and recommend a remedy for each community that is best suited to address conditions in that area. Proposed remedies may include one or a combination of the following short- and long-term options:
Ongoing monitoring of groundwater and/or soil gas to determine if concentrations are naturally decreasing over time through a process called monitored natural attenuation.
Installing and operating a soil vapor extraction system (SVE system) to remove VOCs in soil gas.
Installing and operating sub-slab depressurization systems (SSD systems) at properties where indoor air remains impacted by VOCs due to vapor intrusion,
Ongoing monitoring of indoor air to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed remedy at providing long-term protection of public health.
The Water Board has approved the Final FS/RAPs for Bayridge Park, Belcourt Terrace, and One Ford Road and the Final FSs for Sea Island, Belcourt Hill, the southern portion of the Newport North Apartment Homes, and Corsica Villas. The Water Board is is currently reviewing the Draft FS for the northern portion of the Newport North Apartment Homes. More details on the specific FS or FS/RAPs for a community can be found in the Project Documents tab.
Ford is in the process of operating SSD systems and constructing SVE systems at the Bayridge Park and Belcourt Terrace communities. Communities have been kept informed of these efforts through this website, a series of fact sheets, open houses, and community (see the Community Outreach tab).
Sub-Slab Depressurization (SSD) Systems
Ford’s environmental consultant, WSP, has installed 15 SSD systems at homes in Bayridge Park where vapor intrusion is occurring. The SSD systems create a pressure difference between the area under the building foundation and inside of the building. This prevents underground vapors from entering the building. Installation takes about one to two weeks and involves placing piping under the foundation of the home, installing system components along the outside of the building up to the roofline, inserting monitoring pins within the home, building enclosures around the system, and connecting the systems to electrical power.
Ford is covering all costs associated with installation, operation, maintenance and monitoring of the SSD systems, including reimbursing homeowners for the electricity used. WSP will perform monthly inspections, biannual sampling, and periodic equipment maintenance to ensure the SSD system is operating properly to maintain the pressure difference that keeps vapors out of the building. This work will be coordinated with the property owner at a time that is convenient.
Once an SSD system has been installed, it will remain operational until the Water Board approves the decommissioning of the SVE systems after the vapor intrusion issue has been effectively addressed by the SVE system. At that time, the equipment will be removed, and your home will be restored to its original condition. Ford will pay for these costs as well.
If your home has been identified through indoor air testing as experiencing vapor intrusion and you have previously been offered an air purifier, you are eligible for an SSD system at no cost. For more information, please review the SSD Fact Sheet, SSD Work Notice, and/or contact the Ford Newport Beach project information line at 833-949-3673 or info@fordnbfacts.com.
Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) Systems
WSP and its subcontractors began construction of the SVE system at Bayridge Park on November 7, 2023 under the oversight of the Water Board and in accordance with permits from the City of Newport Beach and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (Air District). Construction will last four to five months and then the SVE system will operate for at least one year to permanently remove VOCs from soil gas. A second SVE system will be installed in the Belcourt Terrace community. This work is anticipated to begin on February 5, 2024 and continue through June 2024. This system will also operate for at least one year.
SVE systems pull underground vapors to a central treatment building, run them through granulated activated carbon filters and safely discharge the treated air into the atmosphere in accordance with permits issued by the Air District. During installation, you will notice a team of about 8 to 10 crew members conducting the following work:
Bringing in the necessary materials and tools (occurs daily)
Laying out the trench locations for the SVE piping (lasts approximately 1 week)
Saw cutting the entire trench (approximately 3 days)
Locating underground utilities
Potholing utilities to confirm their exact location and size (approximately 2 weeks)
Trenching in 500-foot phases (approximately 4 to 5 weeks per phase)
Clearing and grading the treatment system building pad (approximately 1 week)
Installing the prefabricated SVE treatment building, landscaping, and architectural finishes (approximately 3 weeks)
Paving and street restoration (approximately 4 weeks)
Work Hours: All work will occur Monday through Friday, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
What You May See: The following are example photos of work activities you may see during SVE system construction. Please note these are just example photos and the actual equipment may look somewhat different.
A view of an SSD system in Bayridge Park before the enclosure has been installed.
A completed SSD system hidden behind a fenced enclosure.
Utility locator
Saw cutting equipment
Saw cutting in progress
Vacuum truck for air-knife potholing to confirm utility locations
Trench excavation
Trench plates
Tree removal
Grading
Delivering a prefabricated building
Offloading a prefabricated building
Asphalt overlay complete on one side of street
Minimizing Impacts: To minimize impacts to the community, trenching will be conducted in phases and all trenches will be covered with plates. Additionally, the building that contains the SVE system equipment will be constructed off-site and transported to each community to reduce construction activities on-site and overall duration. Large equipment will be brought on site daily and removed from the site at the end of each working day. Smaller equipment may be stored in an area designated and approved by each HOA for storage. Workers will park their individual vehicles off-site.
Communications: Ford and WSP are committed to communicating about this work and being available to answer questions or address and resolve concerns quickly. This includes mailing a work notice roughly two weeks prior to the start of SVE construction, sending weekly email updates, and conducting phone calls/emails/door knocking 24-48 hours in advance of work being conducted in front of homes. Please click on the drop-down box below for past work notices and email updates on SVE construction related to your community. Should you have any questions, please Contact Us.
Operations: After the SVE system is fully constructed, it is anticipated that the system will operate consistently at least one year in each community. There will be continued monitoring of soil gas and indoor air throughout SVE operations. Following the first year of operation, Ford and its consultants will review the data and make recommendations to the Water Board whether to shut down or continue the operation of the system based on the levels of VOCs remaining in the subsurface. The Water Board will review and make the final determination as to how long the system will need to operate and for what frequency.
-
SVE Work Notice – October 23, 2023
Past Bayridge Park Work Update Emails:
-
Pre-Construction Meeting
On January 24, 2024, the Ford Newport Beach project team hosted a community meeting to discuss the Belcourt Terrace SVE system installation and measures that will be taken to reduce impacts to the community. Below please find a link to the meeting recording and presentation.
Past Belcourt Terrace Work Update Emails
SVE Work Notices
Long-Term Monitoring
Ford is continuing to monitor soil gas, groundwater, and indoor air to ensure that the SVE and SSD systems are operating effectively and that subsurface concentrations of VOCs are declining over time. Soil gas will continue to be monitored two to three times a year at 424 subsurface sampling locations. Groundwater will be monitored at least twice per year across the site and up to four times per year at newly installed monitoring wells. Indoor air sampling frequencies are dependent on the specific conditions in each community and range from every six months to five years. Residents are notified directly of their sampling frequencies, but should you have any questions, please Contact Us.