The groundwater under the American Cyanamid Superfund site is highly contaminated with metals, xylene, cancer-causing chemicals like benzene, and other pollutants, but cleanup was delayed for six weeks by more than 200 gallons of floodwater that had to be drained before the contaminated water could be pumped out. Once the floodwater was removed, the contaminated water was pumped to nearby Somerset Raritan Valley Sewage Authority to be treated and then discharged into the Raritan River.
Environmentalists are asking the EPA to upgrade plans to prevent future flooding and groundwater contamination.