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Crime & Safety

Methane Gas Appears to Lessen in Area of Landfills

Updates on local government websites show methane at two probes south of Fabyan and one north of Fabyan. Other tests come up negative.

Methane levels near Fabyan Parkway appear to be going down and are not widespread, according to local government websites this week.

Methane gas continues to be detected at two underground probes outside of the landfill complex north of Fabyan Parkway, according to Jan. 3 and 4 updates on the Geneva, Batavia and Kane County government websites.

A gas probe installed at Raddant Road north of Fabyan also encountered methane 40 ft. underground, the City of Batavia reported Wednesday.

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The two previous underground probes are located immediately south of the landfill complex: one near Raddant Road, south of Fabyan Parkway, and one on the north side of Orion Street, between Surrey and Nagel.

"After hundreds of tests, these are the only locations south of Fabyan at which methane gas has been detected," the Kane County report said.

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No methane has been detected in any of the homes, businesses or utilities that have been tested in the immediate area.

The methane south of Fabyan is below 30-40 ft. of clay, according to a Jan. 4 report on the City of Batavia website.

The report said the levels of methane detected by those probes vary with weather conditions.

North of Fabyan

The methane encountered on Raddant north of Fabyan indicates a probable tie between the methane source to the north at the Midway Landfill and the methane found at the probe on Raddant south of Fabyan, according to the City of Batavia.

This apparent connection allows Waste Management to now focus on pumping from the northerly well to see the impact on the methane to the south of Fabyan.

Another well to be used for vacuuming north of Fabyan encountered some large stone, and required drilling a larger hole.

Waste Management began to install gas extraction wells along the southwest side of the Midway Landfill and continues to conduct in-home testing with residents who live closest to the two probes where methane is detected.

"We would encourage residents to allow these crews into their homes to conduct methane testing and to install in-home detection devices," the report said.

Testing of utility openings in the Batavia Highlands will resume today, Jan. 5.

A response to one of the letters left at a residence in the Highlands was received Wednesday, and a test will take place Friday and a monitor left there.

As always, Waste Management technicians will be accompanied by personnel with City identification.

Batavia Reports

The Batavia reports from Jan. 3 and 4 said: 

1.  All 22 utility openings south of Fabyan Parkway and throughout the Highlands were tested Jan. 3 with no indication of methane. They will be tested every other business day.

2. The methane concentration at the probe on Raddant south of Fabyan (south side) has fallen to only .7 percent methane and actually has a slight vacuum, which means it is sucking air back into it. It is a good sign, but may be weather-related.

3. The only other well south of Fabyan that has shown methane to date, the one behind the rehabilitation facility, has decreased to 16 percent methane with a very slight pressure.

4. The new probe at Raddant and Douglas roads shows no methane but a small amount of pressure.

5. The new probe at Olympic and Kingsland drives registers negative for methane. However, there was 47 feet of clay before reaching the formation below, consisting of sand and gravel, which allows anything (gas or water) to run through it. That lower level was completely saturated with water, which is also a barrier to methane.

6. The two soil wells north of Fabyan (the ones from which Waste Management will suck air/gases/methane from under the clay and pump into the larger, existing landfill system) are being cased and will have vacuum attached very soon. The system for the several wells along the north side of Fabyan should be completed by month’s end, but will individually have vacuum on them as they are completed.

7. The returned to the rehabilitation facility on Dec. 24 for a “confidence" check and detected no flammable gases. 

8. There has been only one “hotline call” since the Christmas holiday, that being Jan. 3, from the Comfort Inn, which was handled by Waste Management.

9. As of Jan. 3, 26 structures have been visited and tested: two industrial buildings on Fabyan, the rehab facility and 23 homes. None have shown any presence of methane. Twelve homes have had monitors installed with no alarms going off as of Jan. 3.

Besides the resident mentioned near the beginning of this story, the balance of residents either passed up having alarms installed or have not replied to letters left at the homes.

The larger picture is that the probes have been drilled in order to help Waste Management develop an idea of the possible area of methane influence so it can site the soil wells appropriately to vacuum anything out. As more results are obtained, other wells may be drilled or not as is required to define the issue underground.

Waste Management continues to operate its contact telephone line for residents who may have questions. Bilingual personnel are available as well.  

The toll-free number is 1-855-964-4663 and is in operation 24 hours a day. An attendant will take their information and a company representative will respond.

The public may also obtain information on the Kane County website, countyofkane.org.

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