OXNARD : Dump Not Leaking Toxins, Tests Show

Tests of water from 15 wells around the Bailard landfill near Oxnard show that the dump is not leaking dangerous chemicals, officials said.

The tests were required by the county as a condition for extending Bailard’s operational permit through May, 1997.

Ventura Regional Sanitation District officials said they are encouraged because the tests did not detect any vinyl chloride. Presence of the chemical, which causes cancer at concentrations as low as two parts per billion, is “a good indicator that you’ve got a landfill problem,” Solid Waste Director John Conaway said.

Other chemicals detected in well water may come from a variety of sources, but vinyl chloride almost always comes from a landfill, Conaway said.

Above-standard levels of vinyl chloride showed up in January at four wells on the Bailard landfill site, district spokeswoman Allison M. Maires said. On-site tests in April showed no problems from the chemical. And the most recent round of off-site tests is another encouraging sign, Maires said.

The test results showed above-standard levels of total dissolved solids in three wells. Authorities said the dissolved minerals are a problem linked to nearby ocean and farming activity and are not traceable to the landfill.