{"id":2143,"date":"2026-11-11T14:01:44","date_gmt":"2026-11-11T20:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/?p=2143"},"modified":"2026-11-11T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-11-11T20:01:45","slug":"groundwater-contamination-in-sedgwick-county-how-to-use-kdhes-interactive-map","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/groundwater-contamination-in-sedgwick-county-how-to-use-kdhes-interactive-map","title":{"rendered":"Groundwater Contamination in Sedgwick County: How to Use KDHE&#8217;s Interactive Map"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Did you know that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kdhe.ks.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)<\/a> maintains an interactive map of identified environmental contamination sites throughout Kansas? From former industrial facilities to dry-cleaning businesses, these sites can be found in communities across Sedgwick County, sometimes closer to home than you might expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding where environmental contamination has been identified is an important first step toward making informed decisions about your health. Below is an explanation of KDHE&#8217;s identified sites and a short video to show residents how to explore <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.kdhe.ks.gov\/ksberisl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KDHE&#8217;s map<\/a>, understand the information it provides, and learn more about sites in their own neighborhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.kdhe.ks.gov\/ksberisl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Explore KDHE&#8217;s Map<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding KDHE&#8217;s Identified Sites Map<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KDHE&#8217;s Identified Sites List (ISL) is a public resource that tracks locations where environmental contamination has been identified or investigated. The interactive map allows users to explore these sites geographically, select individual locations, and review available information about each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you click on a site, you may see information such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Site Name:<\/strong> The name used to identify the location, often based on a nearby intersection or former business.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Status:<\/strong> Whether the site is listed as active or has another designation. An active status does not necessarily mean contamination is spreading or that people are currently being exposed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Contamination:<\/strong> The types of contaminants associated with the site, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include chemicals historically used in industrial processes and dry cleaning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Environmental Use Control (EUC):<\/strong> Whether certain legal or administrative restrictions on land or groundwater use are recorded for the site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Site Identification Number:<\/strong> A unique reference number that can help users locate additional KDHE records.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These details provide a starting point for understanding a site&#8217;s environmental history. However, a location appearing on the map does not necessarily mean nearby homes or residents have been affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Watch: How to Explore the KDHE Map<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our partners at <a href=\"https:\/\/pano-marketing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PANO Marketing<\/a> helped create this video to make KDHE&#8217;s publicly available environmental information easier to understand and navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Follow along as we explore the map, explain the terminology, and demonstrate how you can investigate sites near your home, workplace, or neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=UKxe326ikvA\" class=\"video_cover\" tabindex=\"0\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/UKxe326ikvA\/sddefault.jpg');\" data-video-id=\"UKxe326ikvA\"><\/a>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready to explore for yourself? Visit KDHE&#8217;s website to access the Identified Sites List and begin looking at locations throughout Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.kdhe.ks.gov\/ksberisl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Explore KDHE&#8217;s Map<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-mist-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Closer Look at Three Sedgwick County Locations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In our video, we explore three examples to demonstrate how the map works and what residents can learn from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>29th &amp; Grove, Wichita<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We begin at the 29th &amp; Grove site in Northeast Wichita, where groundwater contamination involving industrial solvents has been documented. Using this location, we explain the different fields in KDHE&#8217;s site information and what terms like &#8220;Active,&#8221; &#8220;VOC,&#8221; and &#8220;Environmental Use Control&#8221; mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Westlink, West Wichita<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, we travel virtually to the Westlink area and examine the Best Cleaners site. This example demonstrates how residents can navigate to a familiar neighborhood, select a nearby marker, and discover what types of contamination KDHE has identified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Former American Cleaners, Haysville<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, we visit Haysville, where the Former American Cleaners site is listed as active with VOC contamination. This example highlights that identified environmental contamination sites are not limited to Wichita but can be found throughout surrounding Sedgwick County communities.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does This Mean for Your Health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Environmental contaminants can enter soil, groundwater, and, in some circumstances, indoor air. Depending on the chemical involved and the type and duration of exposure, certain contaminants may pose health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, <strong>living or working near an identified contamination site does not automatically mean you have been exposed.<\/strong> The presence of a site on KDHE&#8217;s map is not a diagnosis or a measurement of individual exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you believe you may have been exposed to environmental contamination, learning more about the site and discussing your concerns with a healthcare professional can help you better understand your options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-ember-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Free Health Testing Available Through December 31, 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearway Testing connects Sedgwick County residents with free health testing related to potential environmental contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Free testing through the Clearway Testing program is available through December 31, 2026.<\/strong> Testing may still be available in 2027 and beyond, but fees may apply.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t wait to learn more about your health. Explore the KDHE map, understand what&#8217;s been identified in your community, and find out whether testing through Clearway Testing is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-base-ember-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/find-free-testing\/\">Hazte la prueba hoy<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) maintains an interactive map of identified environmental contamination sites throughout Kansas? From former&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2144,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"class_list":["post-2143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-information"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2143"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2146,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143\/revisions\/2146"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clearwaytesting.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2143"}],"curies":[{"name":"\u00a1Bien jugado!","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}