Hockessin, DE


Hockessin, DE

The City of Hockessin is home to an estimated 13,672 residents, and it’s located in New Castle County, DE.

This report will help you become better acquainted with Hockessin and the surrounding area by addressing the following questions:

  • Are there any hazardous sites in New Castle County, DE?
  • How clean is the air in New Castle County, DE?
  • What’s the average radon level for homes in New Castle County, DE?
  • Is the water in New Castle County, DE safe to drink?

Hazardous Sites near Hockessin, DE

There are 11 Superfund sites in New Castle County, DE. Superfund sites, like Army Creek Landfill in New Castle, DE, are areas that have been contaminated with hazardous substances. If not for the cleanup efforts orchestrated by the EPA, these sites could endanger people living in nearby communities.

The EPA uses the Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) to quantify the risk a contaminated site poses to human health and the environment. Sites assigned HRS scores of 28.5 or greater qualify for placement on the National Priorities List (NPL), and are eligible to receive federal funding for cleanup efforts.

Before the EPA deletes a site from the NPL, it conducts reviews to ensure the cleanup was sufficient. As a result, some sites remain on the active site list long after cleanup activities are complete.

For more information about the Superfund sites located in the Hockessin, DE area, be sure to review the map and background information provided below:


Map Legend:

10003

A. Army Creek Landfill (HRS Score: 70)

The Army Creek Landfill site is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Army Creek Landfill site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Benzene
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Lead
10003

B. E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) (HRS Score: 52)

The E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) site is located in Newport, DE.

Contaminants found at the E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., Inc. (Newport Pigment Plant Landfill) site include:

  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Lead
10003

C. Hockessin Groundwater (HRS Score: 50)

The Hockessin Groundwater site is located in Hockessin, DE.

10003

D. Newark South Ground Water Plume (HRS Score: 50)

The Newark South Ground Water Plume site is located in Newark, DE.

10003

E. Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill (HRS Score: 47)

The Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill site is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Delaware Sand & Gravel Landfill site include:

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Benzene
  • Lead
10003

F. Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. (HRS Score: 35)

The Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. site, where chlorinated benzene compounds were manufactured from 1966 to 2002, is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Standard Chlorine of Delaware, Inc. site include:

  • Aluminum
  • Antimony
  • Benzene
  • Beryllium
  • Chloroform
10003

G. Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant) (HRS Score: 34)

The Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant) site, where a wood-treating facility was in operation from 1929 to 1971, is located in Newport, DE.

Contaminants found at the Koppers Co., Inc. (Newport Plant) site include:

  • Aluminum
  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Benzene
10003

H. Delaware City Pvc Plant (HRS Score: 31)

The Delaware City Pvc Plant site, home to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) manufacturing facility, is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Delaware City Pvc Plant site include:

  • Chloroethene (Vinyl Chloride)
  • 1,2-Dichloroethane
  • Trichloroethene
10003

I. Halby Chemical Co. (HRS Score: 31)

The Halby Chemical Co. site, where a chemical manufacturing plant was in operation from 1948 to 1980, is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Halby Chemical Co. site include:

  • Antimony
  • Arsenic
  • Beryllium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
10003

J. Harvey & Knott Drum, Inc. (HRS Score: 31)

The Harvey & Knott Drum, Inc. site, where a dump and burn area was open from 1963 to 1969, is located in Kirkwood, DE.

Contaminants found at the Harvey & Knott Drum, Inc. site include:

  • Benzene
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Lead
  • Aroclor 1260
10003

K. Tybouts Corner Landfill (HRS Score: No Data)

The Tybouts Corner Landfill site is located in New Castle, DE.

Contaminants found at the Tybouts Corner Landfill site include:

  • Benzene
  • Acetone
  • Toluene
  • Chloroethene (Vinyl Chloride)
  • Xylene (Mixed Isomers)

Air Quality in the Hockessin, DE Area

The two most widespread forms of air pollution are ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot). Exposure to these harmful pollutants, for even just a short period, can have adverse effects on your health.

Thanks to data collected by air monitoring equipment located across the country, the American Lung Association (ALA) is able to assess and track our air quality using three metrics:

  • Ozone
  • Short-term Particle Pollution
  • Year-round Particle Pollution

In their 2019 annual report, the ALA rated the air quality in New Castle County, DE as follows:

Ground-Level
Ozone Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Short-Term
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: A-F

Year-Round
Particle Pollution

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

DNC (Data Not Collected): Data on associated pollutants were not collected in this county or county equivalent.
INC (Incomplete): Associated pollutants are being monitored in this county or county equivalent, but data were insufficient to assign a grade.

Radon Levels in Hockessin, DE Area

Air quality inside your home can be impacted by a number of factors, including the presence of hazardous substances in building materials (asbestos, lead, formaldehyde, etc.) and local radon levels.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas you cannot see or smell. It can build up inside your home and negatively impact your indoor air quality as well as your health.

To provide a guideline, the EPA assigned one of three zones to each U.S. county and county equivalent:

  • Zone 1 (higher radon levels)
  • Zone 2 (moderate levels)
  • Zone 3 (lower levels)

Indoor radon readings in New Castle County, DE are expected to average from 2 to 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), so the county has been assigned EPA Radon Zone 2.

EPA Radon Zone

According to the EPA, you should consider acting to reduce your home's radon level if it measures between 2 and 4 pCi/L, so if you're contemplating buying a home in Hockessin, DE, you should have a radon test performed.

Water Quality in Hockessin, DE Area

In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA sets regulatory limits for drinking water contaminants known to cause adverse health effects.

The following New Castle County, DE water provider(s) violated the maximum allowable level for one or more regulated contaminants:

Filter ValueWater SystemContaminantHealth Effects
10003Artesian Water CompanyCombined Radium (-226 and -228)Increased risk of cancer 
10003Mt Pleasant Trailer ParkNitrateInfants below the age of six months who drink water containing nitrate in excess of the MCL could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome. 
10003Suez Water DelawareFluorideBone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); children may get mottled teeth 

In addition to setting enforceable standards for harmful contaminants, the EPA also established guidelines to assist public water providers in managing the taste, odor and color of their drinking water.

To find out more about what’s in your drinking water, contact your utility company and request a copy of the latest Consumer Confidence Report.


Sources and Methods

Hazardous Sites: Identified using a report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazardous sites detailed on trendingtowns.com represent sites contained on the National Priorities List (NPL) as of November 25, 2019.  The NPL is the list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories.  All site-related data was sourced from the EPA.

Air Quality: Grades for ozone, short-term particle pollution, and year-round particle pollution were obtained from State of the Air 2019, a report compiled by the American Lung Association.

Radon Zones: Radon zone designations were obtained using a public use dataset provided by the EPA (September 11, 2019).

Water Quality: Drinking water violation data was sourced from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), a public use database provided by the EPA.  The dataset included violations submitted to the database as of the third quarter of 2019.

Paul

I’ve moved several times over the years, so I know just how stressful it can be to relocate. I want to help put your mind at ease. That’s why I research and write about all the things I think you should consider when moving to a new town.

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