The horrible train wreck that occurred in Ohio earlier this month could be pouring down the Ohio River into neighboring states, but authorities emphasize that the most recent tests indicate the water is contaminant-free.
On February 3, over fifty cars derailed in a burning, mangled mess on the outskirts of East Palestine, spilling toxic substances into the air, soil, and neighboring surface waterways.
In an effort to prevent an uncontrolled explosion, officials evacuated the area and released and burned deadly vinyl chloride from five rail carriages, sending flames and black smoke into the air once more.
Officials from the state confirmed that chemicals had leaked into the Ohio River and were traveling downstream at a rate of one mile per hour.
Today, neighboring states that utilize the Ohio River are preparing for the possibility of contamination as authorities take procedures to avoid potentially dangerous compounds from entering the drinking water.
Tiffani Kavalec, chief of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, said at a state press conference, “The spill did flow to the Ohio River, but the Ohio River is a very large body of water that is capable of diluting the pollutants relatively quickly.”
Kalvec stated, ‘The more it travels down the Ohio, the less risk there is, and even at the closest spots to East Palestine, we have not observed any risk. Thus, we do not anticipate anything in the future affecting future drinking water supply.’
Wednesday, the state’s Environmental Protection Agency reported that water from five wells that supply the village’s drinking water is free of pollutants.
Nonetheless, the Ohio EPA also recommended monitoring private water wells because to their proximity to the surface.
The spill, which included the chemicals vinyl chloride, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers, has now compelled states to allay the fears of citizens whose drinking water comes from the river.
The Evansville Water and Sewer Department in Indiana has confirmed that testing is now taking place.
It stated in a statement earlier this week, ‘There is a small probability that we will find contamination from this leak at our location, as our structure is around 700 river miles distant.
‘But, the (EWSU) is constantly monitoring and testing the river conditions. If contamination is detected close to EWSU, carbon will be used to absorb it.’
In the adjacent state of Kentucky, Energy and Environment spokesman John Mura told WVXU News, ‘The current water treatment utilized by public water systems along the Ohio River is anticipated to be successful in removing butyl acrylate, but testing is ongoing.’
Mary Carol Wagner, manager of water quality for the Northern Kentucky Water District, told LINKnky that state residents should not fear about tainted water.
Wagner informed LINKnky, “Water is safe to consume.” It is our daily responsibility to ensure that our water is safe, and we are keeping a careful eye on the situation.
Wagner stated that both Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati obtain water from the Ohio River through downstream intake valves. This water is then stored in reservoirs that can be isolated from the stream in the event of a contamination threat.
She told LINKnky, “In the event of an incident such as this, we can shut down our intakes from the Ohio into the reservoirs, feed off the reservoirs, and allow the contaminated water to flow downstream.”
Residents in Ohio wanted to know if they were safe from dangerous substances that were spilled or burned off.
Hundreds of concerned citizens gathered in East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state border, on Wednesday to hear state authorities repeat their assurances that the area air is safe to breathe and their assurances that air and water monitoring will continue.
Attendees of Wednesday’s instructional event, which was originally advertised as a town hall meeting, had numerous questions regarding health risks and wanted greater transparency from railroad operator Norfolk Southern, which did not attend due to safety concerns for its employees.
Norfolk Southern stated in a statement that it did not attend alongside local, state, and federal officials due to a “growing physical threat to our employees and community members around this event.”
Over two weeks after the disaster, residents are concerned about the massive smoke plumes they witnessed, lingering odors, risks to pets and wild animals, potential effects on drinking water, and the status of the cleaning.
Moreover, online misinformation and exaggerations have propagated, while state and federal officials have repeatedly assured the public that air monitoring has not discovered any outstanding issues. Even low amounts of non-hazardous contaminants can cause lasting odors and symptoms such as headaches, the health director of Ohio stated on Tuesday.
Moreover, precautions are being taken to prevent toxins that have reached the Ohio River from entering the drinking water supply.
»Kentucky and Indiana prepare for East Palestine chemical crash pollution along Ohio River«