Workers are helping drive innovation and improved safety in the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear cleanup mission as they monitor millions of gallons of landfill wastewater from smartphones following major infrastructure upgrades.
Office of Environmental Management
October 13, 2026
Estimated Read Time min
A view of the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility leachate tanks at Oak Ridge, where water is collected prior to shipping for treatment.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. — Workers are helping drive innovation and improved safety in the U.S. Department of Energy’s nuclear cleanup mission as they monitor millions of gallons of landfill wastewater from smartphones following major infrastructure upgrades.
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) completed repairs to water tanks and installed real-time remote monitoring systems at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF).
After more than a year of planning, preparation and field work, the onsite landfill crew can now monitor all eight leachate tank levels, the leachate inflow rate and any high-level alarms in real time through the new system. This upgrade supports the existing leachate control system designed to notify crews of abnormal events such as power outages.
“The installation of the remote monitoring equipment helps to ensure EMWMF remains compliant with operational requirements and continues to safeguard the surrounding environment,” EMWMF Federal Project Director Michael Vestal said.
Innovation and improvements at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility: new remote monitoring capabilities that allow workers to view tank levels and other important tank notifications on their phones; an updated control panel to support this technology; and contact water tanks after rust mitigation and repairs.
This remote oversight reduces the need to call in workers during off-shift periods, including holidays and weekends. Previously, crews reported onsite at EMWMF to verify tank levels, inflow rates and alarms. They can now receive and confirm these notifications from their phones anywhere and anytime. The digital data is protected by cybersecurity programs and only accessible by EMWMF superintendents and managers.
EMWMF, which accepts waste generated from Oak Ridge Reservation cleanup, also has four 240,000-gallon contact water tanks to support landfill wastewater management. Last year, two tanks were removed from service, completely rebuilt and returned to operations. The other two tanks remained functional but recently underwent repairs to mitigate rust on external components and ensure they remain compliant.
“These improvements to both our leachate and contact water management systems are especially beneficial during large rain events that can disrupt our routine operations,” UCOR Onsite Waste Disposition Manager Josh Pemberton said.
Contact water is created when water enters the landfill and encounters waste. When contact water flows through waste and interacts with certain materials, it becomes leachate. EMWMF manages up to 23 million gallons of contact water and up to 5.5 million gallons of leachate each year.
-Contributor: Ella Stewart
To receive the latest news and updates about the Office of Environmental Management, submit your e-mail address.