Well drilling at a federal superfund site in Palmerton began this week, according to a community update released by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The drilling, which is taking place near wells at the former New Jersey Zinc East Plant, is separate from the Northface development off Route 248, headed by Phase III Environmental.

It’s one of the last steps in a decadeslong project, the fourth and final remediation phase for the U.S. superfund site where the Zinc Company is said to have dumped 33 million tons of heavy metal waste.

As outlined by the EPA’s community update, shared by Palmerton Borough on its Facebook page, the authority will oversee CBS Corporation, the party deemed responsible for site remediation, and its contractors in installing four shallow monitoring wells and three deep ones.

The project will also include groundwater sampling. It will test how deep, if at all, pollution may have seeped into the ground from Zinc Company activity.

Donna McGarry, Palmerton borough manager, said Friday that Palmerton authorities were “vehemently” against the drilling. Palmerton has never had water quality issues, McGarry said, and the borough didn’t want to chance it. “We have good water,” she said, “and we didn’t want a potential for this project to cause a problem with our water.”

In fact, when the Palmerton Municipal Authority met last October, the body contended that drilling at the plant could contaminate public water sources close by. Palmerton Borough Council came to the same conclusion, making its opposition known to EPA.

But as federal authority, EPA didn’t need Palmerton authorities’ permission to give drilling the greenlight, which it did late last year.

The community update informs residents that personnel and equipment would be on site this past week, and that any questions concerning the project should be directed to Alexander Mandell, an EPA community involvement coordinator, at (215) 814-5517.

Drew Hass, remedial project manager, can be reached at (215) 814-2049.