Around the Sound: Cleanup moves ahead at Hansville store

By Seth Preston, Communications Manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Work is in full swing on a cleanup project at the Hansville General Store in Kitsap County.

The store is located at 7532 Twin NE Spits Road in Hansville on the northern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula. It’s a stone’s throw from Puget Sound. (See this image.)

The store has a long history — prior to 1934, it operated as a farmer’s store. The operation expanded between 1934 and 1988 to add the general store and gas station. In 1988, the gas station portion closed but the store remained open.

In 1990, an adjacent site, formerly Captains Landing, underwent an independent cleanup. During the cleanup, petroleum products observed appeared to originate from the Hansville General Store property. Two underground fuel storage tanks (USTs) on the store property were thought to be the source.

Since then, testing and monitoring identified gasoline and diesel in soil and in shallow groundwater at the store site. A couple of underground storage tanks have been pulled out. You can read more about the store’s history and Ecology’s role.

The project cost is about $500,000. Some of the funding is coming from stimulus money Ecology received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It’s one of several projects our agency is funding with ARRA stimulus dollars.

The contractor is Wyser Construction Inc. of Snohomish. The project involves 11 workers.

The work causes traffic delays through Hansville at times. One lane is open at all times; both lanes are open from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Businesses remain open.

Here’s a rundown on some of the work that’s been done as of this week:

Crews removed an asbestos concrete water line that provided drinking water to the community. A bypass is in place to make sure water is available.

About 700 tons of contaminated soil have been removed.

An oxygen reducing compound has been placed in backfill soil at a depth of about 9 feet to treat groundwater.

Temporary controls are in place, like a silt fence to contain water, plastic sheeting to cover soil stockpiles and prevent erosion, and measures to stop sediment from reaching storm drains.

Temporary supports are in place for the store to protect it while excavation and backfilling are done next to the building.

A passive soil vapor barrier is installed under the store.

Watch ECOconnect for project updates as work progresses.

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