Hamilton Canal District
Lowell, Massachusetts

The Hamilton Canal District area consisted of approximately 15 acres of formerly vacant and under-utilized land in downtown Lowell, MA.  Watermark assisted the City of Lowell with their plans to redevelop this area into a new vibrant mixed-use neighborhood.  To assess subsurface environmental conditions, the City procured Watermark to conduct American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Phase I Environmental Site Assessments and subsurface investigations at ten properties on a fast-track schedule that coincided with the City’s aggressive public marketing of that area.

Watermark subsequently assisted the City in obtaining four Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Remediation grants, which were awarded to the City to clean up releases.  After the City received the grants, Watermark prepared an Analysis of Brownfield Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA) for each site and assisted with the public meetings associated with each ABCA.  At one site, a Release Abatement Measure (RAM) was conducted that removed 15 tons of trichloroethylene-impacted soil and 180 tons of lead-impacted soil resulting in a Response Action Outcome (RAO).  At a second site, a RAM was conducted that removed 1,300 tons of arsenic-impacted soil, which will eventually result in an RAO.  All of this work was performed in accordance with an EPA-approved Quality Assurance Project Plan. Elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) were detected in the remaining two sites.  Watermark’s efforts included soil borings as part of pre-RAM assessment activities.  Subsequently, a RAM plan for in situ chemical oxidation was adopted.