Those tall cranes you can see operating just south of the Hays Water Treatment Plant on Vine Street are working to remove contaminated soil.

The remediation site was once the location of a Dow Chemical distribution facility and is contaminated primarily by arsenic.

According to Assistant Public Works Director John Braun, URS Corporation workers are drilling a series of holes 35 feet and deeper to excavate the contaminated soil, then disposing it in an E-P-A approved site.  The holes are back-filled with wet sand and some cement for stability.

Storm sewer pipe at the site had to be removed and bypass pumps installed for stormwater flow during the project. The original pipes will be replaced when work is completed late next month.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is monitoring the operation.