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Superfund (NPL) Site

Motorola 52nd Street | Overview

Revised On: Nov. 21st, 2025 - 07:43 am

EPA #: AZD009004177

Superfund National Priority List (NPL) Placement: Oct. 4, 1989

Location

The Motorola 52nd Street Superfund Site is located in the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona. 

The general boundaries of the Superfund Site include 52nd Street on the east, Palm Lane on the north, 7th Avenue on the west and Buckeye Road on the south. Due to its size and to better manage cleanup efforts, the Superfund Site was divided into three areas called operable units (OUs). The OUs, from east to west, include OU1, OU2 and OU3 | View Map > 

Contaminants of Concern (COCs)

Soil | Solvents and Chromium 

The COCs in soil dominantly include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including trichloroethene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), and tetrachloroethene (PCE). At a few select locations, hexavalent chromium has been identified. 

There is little to no health risk unless there is contact with skin or ingestion of contaminated soil

Groundwater | Solvents and Chromium 

The COCs in groundwater primarily include VOCs including TCE, 1,1,1-TCA, and PCE.  Chromium has been identified at a sub-site within OU2.

There are currently no known exposures to COCs in excess of applicable health-based screening levels at the site.

The entire Motorola 52nd Street Superfund site is located within the city of Phoenix, which supplies drinking water via the municipal water service. The City of Phoenix sources water primarily from surface water (Salt and Verde Rivers) and with a limited amount of groundwater from areas located outside the Motorola 52nd Street Superfund site | View City of Phoenix Water Page >

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 >

Action Taken

The OU1 interim remedial system has reduced concentration of Contaminants of Concern in groundwater with the removal of 29,819 pounds of volatile organic compounds since startup in 1992.

  • Sixth Five-Year Review completed in 2021
  • Annual Effectiveness Report (for remedial operation and groundwater monitoring) completed in March 2025

The OU2 interim groundwater remedial system has been effective at reducing the downgradient extent and concentration of Contaminants of Concern in groundwater across a large portion of the OU3 area.

  • Injection wells for groundwater extraction system enhancement implemented in 2020 
  • Annual Effectiveness Report (for remedial operation and groundwater monitoring) completed in March 2025

Joray Kachina (subsite within OU2)

  • Remedial Investigation (RI) activities and soil vapor extraction remediation conducted from 2012 through 2021
  • Phase III work plan for additional RI activities completed September 2025

Honeywell 34th St (subsite within OU2)

  • Integrated Focused Human Health Risk Assessment completed October 2024

The general decline of trichloroethene (TCE) concentrations in groundwater across the OU3 area demonstrates the water quality improvements related to the OU2 interim remedy.

  • Risk Assessment completed March 2022
  • Feasibility Study completed April 2024

Status

  • Remedial Investigation (RI) milestone phase of planning to define data gaps
  • Recent RI activities conducted in relation to site redevelopment have included additional soil and soil vapor sampling and new well installation
  • Ongoing interim remedy action of the Groundwater Extraction System

  • Remedial Investigation (RI) milestone phase of field activities
  • Ongoing interim remedy action of the Groundwater Extraction System

Joray Kachina (subsite within OU2)

  • RI milestone phase of field activities
  • Semi-annual data collection of groundwater and soil vapor sampling  
  • Tracer aquifer testing implemented in September 2025

Honeywell 34th St (subsite within OU2)

  • Feasibility Study milestone phase of reporting

  • Record Of Decision milestone phase of reporting 
  • Semi-annual groundwater monitoring

Learn more about this Superfund site on the EPA website | View EPA Site > 

Lead Agency
EPA Project Managers
OU1, OU2 & Honeywell 34th St.
Ph: 415-972-3199
Email >

OU3
Ph: 415-972-3147
Email >

Supporting Agency
ADEQ Project Managers
OU1 & OU2
Ph: 602-771-0200
Email >

OU3 & Honeywell 34th St.
Ph: 602-771-4357
Email >

 

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