Posted On: Jan. 14th, 2026 - 03:37 pm
Location: Harrison Road Landfill, 4200 S Harrison Road, Tucson, AZ 85730
Initial Discovery Date: 1988 - previous remediation completed 2015
Recent Discovery Date: 2024
Contaminants of Concern (COCs): Tetrachloroethene which is a chlorinated solvent that may be used in a variety of processes as a solvent or degreaser. Tetrachloroethene is commonly known as perchloroethylene (PCE or Perc).
Affected Media
What are my health risks?
For Soil | There is little to no health risk unless there is contact with skin or ingestion of contaminated soil.
For Groundwater | If you are connected to a Public Water System (PWS) there is little to no risk of impact from exceedances because the water is filtered through the PWS for residential and business use | View Drinking Water Notices >
If you have a private well in the vicinity of the exceedance, we encourage you to test the well water.
Not sure what to test for? | Learn More >
Site Summary
This site is a closed municipal solid waste landfill located in eastern Tucson. The landfill was in operation from 1972 until it stopped accepting waste in 1997. The site previously conducted corrective actions to address soil and groundwater contamination between 1999 and 2015. The initial corrective actions were completed in 2015. Due to an unexpected recurrence of contamination in groundwater, ADEQ issued a Notice of Opportunity to Correct (NOC) to the City of Tucson in August 2025.
Corrective Actions
- 1988 – 1995: PCE groundwater contamination was first discovered in monitoring wells. Additional groundwater monitoring wells were installed to characterize the extent and migration rate of the contamination. The City of Tucson commissioned studies to determine the best method of groundwater remediation.
- July 1996: Groundwater investigation completed to characterize the aquifer properties and extent of the contamination.
- 1999: ADEQ approved the use of a Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) system and a groundwater extraction and treatment system to contain and clean up the PCE plume.
- 1999 – 2000: The City of Tucson installed groundwater extraction wells, monitoring wells, injection wells, and infrastructure and piping for the groundwater extraction and treatment system.
- 1999 – 2002 & 2005 – 2006: Operation of the SVE began in order to remove and treat PCE and and the residual chemical compounds formed when PCE breaks down.
- June 2001: Groundwater extraction and treatment system began operation.
- February 2014: Groundwater concentrations of PCE were below regulatory standards. ADEQ provided approval to turn off the groundwater treatment system.
- December 2015: The groundwater extraction and treatment system was shut down as PCE concentrations were below regulatory standards since 2013.
- July 2024: PCE was detected above Aquifer Water Quality Standards at one monitoring well.
- 2025: The City of Tucson conducted additional sampling with a wider scope of analytes and is exploring alternative remediation options.
- 2026: The City of Tucson continues to collect additional samples to further characterize the site.
