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Groundwater cleanup will begin this fall at the former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers waste dump in Pensacola, Florida, a site that was declared a Superfund hazard in 1996. The EPA has approved a new plan to pump and treat contaminated groundwater and to remove heavily polluted soils from the area known locally as “Mount Dioxin.” Construction is slated to start in September and is expected to last 30 years, with the goal of reducing dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls and heavy metal levels to safe limits.

The site sits on the western edge of Pensacola, near the Black River, and has been a source of concern for residents for decades. After the Corps began dumping industrial waste in the 1960s, the area became heavily contaminated. In the mid‑1990s, bureaucratic delays and funding gaps stalled cleanup efforts, and the EPA moved about 400 households out of the most affected neighborhoods. The site’s designation as a Superfund location was meant to trigger federal action, but the cleanup was slow to materialise, leaving groundwater and soil contamination unchecked.

Under the new plan, the EPA will install a groundwater treatment system that will draw in contaminated water, filter out toxins, and discharge the cleaned water back into the river. The plan also calls for the removal of contaminated soils and the installation of a long‑term monitoring system. The EPA estimates the project will cost roughly $120 million and will involve local contractors, the Army Corps of Engineers, and community stakeholders. Residents will be able to see real‑time monitoring data online, and the agency will hold quarterly town‑hall meetings to keep the public informed.

The cleanup is a major step for Pensacola, which has faced frequent storms and flooding that can spread contaminated water. Protecting the groundwater now will reduce health risks for the 50,000 residents who rely on the aquifer for drinking water and irrigation. The EPA says the project will also create jobs and improve property values in the area. Once the treatment system is operational, the agency will monitor water quality for the next decade, then transition to a maintenance phase that will keep the site safe for future generations.