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NOTICE: Under the City Council’s Zero Tolerance Policy, the City will not blend any detectable levels of perchlorate into its water system and your water is safe. To learn more about the City Council’s Zero Tolerance Policy, click here. |
The 160 Acre Site
The War Assets Administration (now the Department of Defense) owned and operated facilities in the Rialto Ammunition Storage Point (also called the RASP site) located in the northern portion of Rialto from approximately 1941 to 1946. The War Assets Administration constructed munitions storage bunkers and railroad spurs, and undertook munitions and ordnance shipping, testing and handling, military operations and burning, and on-site disposal operations, which resulted in the disposal, discharge and release of perchlorate-containing products, substances and wastes into the environment. In the early 1950s, West Coast Loading Corporation, which manufactured products under contract with the United States Department of Defense, built a production facility for loading ammunition, ordnance and pyrotechnics shells with chemicals. West Coast Loading's facility was located on a 160-acre site within the former RASP site. Many of the items built by West Coast Loading used perchlorate.
West Coast Loading is out of business. The City believes that the legal successors to West Coast Loading include Kwikset (the maker of Kwikset Locks), Black and Decker, Inc. (the maker of Black and Decker tools) and Emhart Industries, Inc. The City believes that one or more of these corporations is legally responsible for the releases of perchlorate by West Coast Loading.
Today the 160 acre site sits in the middle of Rialto, adjacent to numerous homes and further-developing real estate. Click here to view the map of the160-acre site and the County of San Bernardino's.
In 1957, B.F. Goodrich Corporation purchased the West Coast Loading Corporation site. Goodrich performed solid propellant research and development for the United States Air Force and others at the site including rocket engine testing until 1963. Goodrich sold the property in 1966. Goodrich used ammonium perchlorate as an oxidizer in the manufacture of solid rocket propellants at the site.
To Learn More About the Regional Water Quality Control Board Enforcement Orders against B.F. Goodrich, visit: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/santaana/html/perchlorate.html
After B.F. Goodrich sold the property, it has been used by a variety of other defense and industrial contractors. Today, the 160 acre site is still in use by some fireworks manufacturers, and perchlorate is still used on the property in connection with those operations.
Rialto believes that ALL of the above referenced companies and entities have contributed to the problem by discharging perchlorate into our environment.