Please see the message below from IDEM. If you have concerns about your water supply, please contact your IDEM field inspector for more information. Statement Regarding MCHM in Ohio River: (IDEM) A contamination originating in the Elk River in West Virginia has spread to the Ohio River, and is expected to reach intakes at Mt. Vernon and Evansville by the weekend. The chemical contaminating the river, known as MCHM, is used in cleaning coal. The CDC says the chemical is safe as long as it is diluted to 1.0 part per million of water. This contamination was measured at 0.036 parts per million on Monday, significantly lower than the CDC amount. The plume will dilute even more when it passes through Indiana. Local water utilities will coordinate with IDEM, the US EPA, the US Coast Guard, and the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) to track the plume and make necessary preparations. Vanderburgh and Posey are the only counties in Indiana that draw their water from the Ohio River. All other Ohio River counties use wells. Indiana systems drawing from the Ohio River are prepared to use additional treatments if the chemical is detected in their intake. The contamination entered the Ohio River system approximately 700 river miles upstream from Indiana drinking water intakes. Cincinnati shut down its river intakes Tuesday, and will be feeding from their reservoirs until the contamination passes. Officials from Louisville do not think it will be a problem for them, as they use a riverbank filtration system and feel it is sufficient to handle this situation. The plume of chemical was 60 miles long on Tuesday. The river was moving at three miles per hour, so the plume was taking approximately 20 hours to pass a given location. However, as it moves through Indiana, the plume will lengthen, and river speeds could vary as well.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:21:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015