A Whittaker-Bermite cleanup meeting is set for this Wednesday, November 1 in the Century Conference Room at Santa Clarita City Hall from 3:30-5 p.m.

A detailed report was prepared by DTSC to update the cleanup council with progress for the month of September.

The report listed several activities that are expected to take place in the seven areas of operation for the coming months, as well as long-term actions of the cleanup efforts.

Some activities included soil testing, soil relocation and soil vaporization extraction (SVE).

SVE is a process where an air compressor pumps air underground through wells. As air bubbles through the groundwater, it carries contaminant vapors upward into the soil above the water table. The mixture of air and vapors is then pulled out of the ground for treatment using SVE.

The plot of land, which is essentially located in the middle of Santa Clarita, was used for decades to manufacture and test munitions after World War II.

Also known as the city’s “Toxic Donut Hole,” the Whittaker-Bermite property is a 996-acre site of undeveloped land located south of Soledad Canyon Road, behind the Santa Clarita Metrolink station.

The property lies in between major surface roads, Soledad Canyon Road to the north, Golden Valley Road to the east, Railroad Avenue on the west and Circle J Ranch to the south (map courtesy of City of Santa Clarita). Only about 5-8 percent of the land is contaminated, according to officials.

Related story: Toxic Site Cleanup Crew Touts Progress On Whittaker-Bermite

During a tour last October, CDM Smith officials, who have been contracted to clean up the contamination, which goes approximately 70 feet deep at some points, are using insects that eat the contaminants out of the soil, with the aid of a glycerine that makes the soil a more attractive meal for the contaminant-eating bugs.

CDM Smith has about 30-35 workers on site every day, for about 10 hours a day.

During that tour, officials noted they hope to have the contaminated soil portion of the land — somewhere between 20-30 acres of actual land — cleaned by 2018, if all goes to plan. Wednesday’s meeting should entail a progress update on that goal.

Under a court-approved comprehensive claims settlement dating back nearly two decades ago, Whittaker Corp. officials have been working with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to clean up toxic waste at the Whittaker-Bermite property in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Related: Public Invited To Meet Potential Partners In Whittaker-Bermite Development

Under the settlement, Whittaker Corp. has been responsible to pay for the ongoing clean-up process that is taking place.

Related: Santa Clarita To Host Whittaker Bermite Cleanup Meeting Wednesday

The former munitions testing and manufacturing site has contamination issues, which include perchlorate, volatile organic compounds and both soil and groundwater contamination.

The current ownership of the property is complex, with multiple entities holding interests in the property.

The property has been divided into seven “operable units” with differing clean-up strategies for each unit.

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