The following letter has been distributed to residents in the affected area.
Dear resident,
Your property in Little Rock, Arkansas, is part of a small area that is located above deep groundwater contamination originating from property formerly leased by Timex at the nearby Little Rock National Airport.
Timex made watches and cameras in a facility located on property leased from the airport between 1947 and 2000. During that time, employees used various cleaning solutions (“solvents”) in the manufacturing process that migrated into the soil and groundwater on the property.
These solvents have migrated from the former Timex site and are present in groundwater that is more than 30 feet under the surface of properties in the neighborhood.
The groundwater in the affected residential area is not currently used for any purpose and there are no plans to use this water in the future. These substances in the groundwater (the solvents) do not present any risk to your health or your residence, as long as the groundwater is not used.
The water that is provided to your home by the water utility has no connection to the groundwater under your residence. The drinking water is safe and not affected because it is provided by a municipal water utility and originates from Lake Maumelle. This utility routinely tests drinking water to ensure quality.
The soil at your residence also is not affected.
Timex has voluntarily taken responsibility for investigating and addressing the substances in the groundwater. By working closely with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Timex has developed an action plan for remediation. These efforts will take place on Airport property – which Timex believes is the source of the substances in the groundwater underneath your residence. Timex signed an agreement with ADEQ on February 24, 2014, to begin the cleanup. The remediation activities will not have any direct or noticeable impacts on your neighborhood.
Timex will be offering to purchase the residential properties in the affected area for the appraised value assigned by Pulaski County. These offers are being mailed to the property owners of record. If you are a tenant of a property that Timex purchases, Timex will work with you see to see if it is possible to enter into a new lease after the sale closes.
We have provided a map of the affected area, a list of “Questions & Answers”, and a fact sheet that provide more detailed information. We also have posted this and other pertinent information at www.timexlittlerock.com. Additional information about the site is available for public review at ADEQ’s Record Management Section, located at 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72118.
Timex will host a town hall meeting on March 13, 2014, at 6 p.m. at the East Little Rock Community Center at 2500 E. 6th Street for residents and property owners who have any questions or would like more information.
If you have questions or concerns, please call 501-218-8995.
Sincerely,
David Payne
Vice President
Timex Group USA, Inc.