Please do not use bore water in this area

Chemicals from historical industrial activity have contaminated the groundwater in Glenelg East. These chemicals include volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons from a dry cleaning site such as perchloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE) and its degradation products, dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). Other chemicals include petroleum hydrocarbons identified from the replacement of degraded underground fuel tanks at an active petrol station. Additional chemicals of concern are heavy metals and cyanide from a former blacksmiths site.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are extremely persistent in the environment and natural degradation is expected to take centuries. They are denser than water and leach through soil and groundwater. They are volatile, carcinogenic and present a potential risk to human health if groundwater is utilised for drinking, showering, washing, filling swimming pools, watering lawns or irrigation of edible produce.

Historical chemical use has resulted in site contamination that affects soil and groundwater at the dry cleaner site, and groundwater within the area in a west to northwesterly direction.