The Groundwater Resources Association of California is developing the Fourth Symposium in its Series on Groundwater Contaminants -- "Perchlorate & NDMA in Groundwater: Occurrence, Analysis & Treatment." The Symposium will be held at the Radisson San Gabriel Valley on April 17, 2002.

The investigation of aerospace facilities where rocket fuel has been used has revealed the presence of several highly recalcitrant contaminants in groundwater, particularly perchlorate (Cl04) and NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine). These chemicals have been found to impact drinking water aquifers in California, leading to the closure of numerous municipal water supply wells (refer to the CA Department of Health Services Web site for an overview of NDMA in California's drinking water). Other sources of these compounds have been identified and include wastewater treatment processes, fertilizer usage, rubber and textile manufacturing, metals refining and finishing and automotive air bag manufacturing.

Information about the use and behavior of these chemicals is not abundant. The Fourth Symposium will showcase experts and offer up-to-date knowledge on the occurrence and potential sources of NDMA perchlorate, their fate and transport characteristics, regulatory status, toxicology and chemical detection challenges. The program will also provide information about the known impact on water resources from these compounds, current remediation/water treatment options. In addition, the program will address other critical issues surrounding rocket-fuel contaminants in groundwater.

Program Agenda:

7:45 am - 8:25 am Registration 8:25 am - 8:30 am Welcome and Introductory Remarks Jim Carter, President, Groundwater Resources Association of CA   SESSION 1: SOURCES, OCCURRENCE, GEOCHEMISTRY, FATE & TRANSPORT, ANALYSIS & TOXICITY OF PERCHLORATE & NDMA Moderator: Tim Parker, CA Department of Water Resources 8:30 am - 9:15 am Rocket Fuel in the Water: The Story of Perchlorate - Characteristics and Occurrence   Kevin Mayer, Perchlorate Coordinator Pacific Southwest Region U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region IX 9:15 am - 9:40 am NDMA Sources, Occurrence, Fate, Transport and Toxicity with a Focus on its Formation During Wastewater Treatment   Bill Mitch, Ph.D. Candidate Professor David Sedlak's Research Group Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of California, Berkeley 9:40 am - 10:05 am Analytical Issues Related to Perchlorate and NDMA   Bill Steeber, Section Chief CA Dept of Health Services Sanitation & Radiation Laboratory 10:05 am - 10:15 am Break SESSION 2: PERCHLORATE AND NDMA IN CALIFORNIA Moderator: Thomas M. Johnson, LFR Levine Fricke 10:15 am - 11:15 am Solving the San Gabriel Valley Perchlorate Problem: A Case Study   Fred Fudacz, Esq., Partner Nossaman, Guthner, Knox & Elliott, LLP Carol Williams, Executive Officer Main San Gabriel Basin Watermaster Steve Johnson, P.E., Registered Civil Engineer Stetson Engineers, Inc 11:15 am - 11:45 am Perchlorate Legal Issues - San Gabriel Basin   Steven L. Hoch, Esq. Hatch & Parent 11:45 am - 1:00 pm LUNCH The California Supreme Court Hartwell Decision and its Impact on Water Utilities and Groundwater Cleanups Moderator: Anthony Brown, KOMEX   The PRPs Perspective - James Meeder, Esq. Allen, Matkins, Leck, Gamble and Mallory LLP   The Plaintiffs Perspective - David Rosen, Esq. Rose, Klein and Marias LLP - 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Perchlorate and NDMA Contamination in the Sacramento Area   Alex MacDonald, Senior WRCE CA Regional Water Quality Control Board - Central Valley Region 1:30 pm - 2:00 pm Subsurface Transport of Perchlorate and NDMA: Importance of Geologic Complexity   Eric LaBolle, Ph.D., Associate Instructor Department of Hydrologic Sciences University of California, Davis 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm TBA 2:30 pm - 2:45 pm Break   SESSION 3 Treatment and Remediation Moderator: Rula Deeb, Ph.D., Malcolm Pirnie 2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. In-situ Remediation of Groundwater and Soil Contaminated with Perchlorate and NDMA   Evan Cox, Associate, Sr. Remediation Microbiologist GeoSyntec Consultants 3:15 p.m. - 3:45 pm Ex-situ Technologies for the Removal of Perchlorate and NDMA from Water   Bill Guarini, Vice President Envirogen, Inc. 3:45 pm - 4:15 pm Removal of Perchlorate from Water Using Biological Treatment or Ion Exchange Technologies   Jaci Batista, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4:15 pm - 4:45 pm Photolysis and Advanced Oxidation Processes for NDMA Removal from Drinking Water   Sun Liang, Ph.D., Advanced Water Treatment Program Manager Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Concluding Remarks   Jim Carter, President, Groundwater Resources Association of CA 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Reception