By West Kentucky Star Staff, originally posted on November 19, 2016

 

LEDBETTER, KY – After a break in a water main on Thursday, the Ledbetter Water District has made repairs and had water tested, so a boil water order for their customers has been lifted.

ORIGINAL STORY (November 17):

Due to a break in a water main, the Ledbetter Water District has issued a boil water order for all of their customers.

Until further notice, affected customers should boil water before consumption.

There was no estimate given for when the orders will be lifted.

originally posted on November 21, 2016

 

HAMMOND, LA (WVUE) –

Tangipahoa Parish Water District officials have lifted a boil water advisory that affected parts of Hammond. The advisory was issued Friday due to a water main break which resulted in pressure loss.

Officials say that the areas affected were Club Deluxe Road from Veterans Boulevard to South Morrison Boulevard and adjacent roads which included but not limited to Yellow Water Road, Thompson, Pelican Professional Park , Professional Plaza and Elmwood Park Subdivision.

According to officials, water samples were collected on Saturday and tested. Officials determined that the water was safe to drink after the tests on the bacteriological samples came back cle

Water pumps temporarily shutdown Saturday

originally posted on November 20, 2016

 

BUNNELL. Fla. – The boil water advisory issued Sunday for the city of Bunnell has been lifted, officials said Tuesday.

Sunday morning, the city said there were some water pumps that temporarily shut down on Saturday.

Water pressure was eventually restored. As a precaution, the city warned residents to boil water before they used it.

The boil water advisory was rescinded after testing showed the water was safe to drink.

Anyone with questions or concerns can contact the Bunnell Utilities Department at 386-437-7515.

Originally posted onNovember 18, 2016

 

The City of Bucyrus has issued a boil advisory. The boil advisory is in effect on Reid Street from South Highland Street to Ethel Street and also includes all of Ethel Street.

There is a water break in this area and the EPA requires us that this advisory be issued.  Only people living in the effected area are advised to boil their drinking water until further notice.

All other areas of the City are safe to use.

by Jordan Lippincott, originally posted on November 20, 2016

 

St. Landry Parish –

A boil advisory has been issued for some areas of the Town of Leonville.

A four-inch main water line was broken due to a contractor drilling through the water line. Town personnel are repairing the line and will be flushing the area. Due to this incident, the water produced by the water supply system is of questionable microbiological quality.

All residences from 1039 and 2818 Highway 31, between Arnaudville and Leonville,  are instructed to boil their water before use.

It is recommended that all customers disinfect their water before consuming it. This includes making ice, brushing teeth, and using water for food preparation. Also, customers are advised not to consume fountain beverages.

In order to disinfect your water, boil the water for one minute in a clean container. The timing of one minute starts after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. The flat taste can be eliminated by shaking the water in a clean bottle, pouring it from one clean container to another, or by adding a small pinch of salt to each quart of water that is boiled.

Please be sure to disinfect your water prior to consumption until you have been advised otherwise.

The Town of Leonville Water System will discontinue this boil advisory upon notification from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, that additional water samples collected from the water system have shown the water to be safe.

By Robert A. Cronkleton, originally posted on November 17, 2016

 

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a boil advisory Thursday for southwest Wyandotte County after a water main break caused inadequate pressure.

The areas under the advisory are Edwardsville, southwest Kansas City, Kan., and eastern Bonner Springs, including the Lake of the Forest community. About 2,700 Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities customers are impacted by the advisory.

A water main broke near 86th Street and Interstate 70 in Kansas City, Kan., creating a loss of water pressure, which might result in a loss of chlorine and allow bacterial contamination.

The area under the advisory is generally bounded by I-70 to the north, 72nd Street to the east, 118th Street to the west and the Kansas River to the south. A small area bounded by Tauromee Avenue to the north, 72nd Street to the east, 78th Street to the west and the Kansas River to the south is also under the advisory.

The advisory will remain in effect until health officials determine that the water supply is not at a risk of contamination.

The BPU issued these precautions:

▪ Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water.

▪ Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from automatic ice makers.

▪ Disinfect dishes and other food surfaces by immersing them for at least one minute in clean tap water that has one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water.

▪ Water used for bathing does not need to be boiled, but children should be watched to make sure they do not drink the water.

▪ If tap water appears dirty, flush water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

by Chris Lisinski, originally posted on November 20, 2016

 

Several public schools around Greater Lowell have reported high levels of lead, copper or both in drinking water, according to information released by the state on Tuesday.

Some local schools have been vocal about testing within the last few months, and most have already moved to shut down and replace sources of water that may be contaminated. But Tuesday’s announcement shows a compilation of data from tests in schools across the state conducted under a state program.

Tests at districts including Billerica, Chelmsford, Lowell and Wilmington showed amounts of lead and copper, which can be harmful to humans when ingested in excessive quantities, above the “action level” defined by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

State officials said any problems are likely caused by equipment. Older pipes and faucets can introduce lead into water, and not by the water supply itself, which is usually clean.

“Ensuring every water tap and fountain is properly tested expeditiously is an important priority for our administration, the more than 900 schools, and the thousands of students attending them,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a Tuesday statement.

In April, the state put $2 million toward a program to help public schools test their drinking water, and it published results this week from 450 schools in 90 communities, or about half of the buildings that will be examined by the program’s end. Officials announced alongside the data that they would spend a further $750,000 on testing.

More than 160 schools reported lead levels greater than 0.015 milligrams per liter, which is the limit at which the federal government recommends action, and 74 schools reported copper levels greater than 1.3 milligrams per liter, also the federal action level. Many schools also reported trace amounts of lead and copper that were below the action level.

Lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain or kidneys, and young children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.

Eight school buildings in Lowell indicated concentrations of one or both materials above the action level. Schools in Ayer, Billerica, Chelmsford, Devens, Dunstable, Fitchburg, Gardner, Littleton and Wilmington also discovered high concentrations, according to the state’s data.

It was unclear in the state’s report whether those measurements came from a single fountain or sink in each school or from multiple sources, but some districts said they believed old equipment to be at fault.

Officials in some of the affected districts said they notified parents when they received test results, and took actions to prevent students or staff from being affected by the contaminated water.

“Upon receipt and review of the results, we immediately (same day we received the results back) shut down the units that we reported above the actionable level,” Steve Mark, business manager for the Littleton Public Schools, wrote in an email. “Those units are no longer usable or accessible by students or staff at the Shaker Lane School and the one unit at the High School.”

Groton-Dunstable Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Kristan Rodriguez said school workers determined that there were “just a few fixtures in some of our buildings” that caused lead contamination, but no problems with the pipes. The district, like many others, sent letters home to parents to notify them of the affected taps being shut off.

“We started testing in the fall, and as soon as we got results, we notified parents (same day actually),” she wrote in an email.

Some districts have been vocal about their efforts since before the state report was released. Last month, Billerica shut off water to affected outlets once results showed high levels of lead, and Wilmington worked to replace more than 50 faulty faucets and fountains over the summer.

 

By WRCB Staff, originally posted on November 18, 2016

 

FORT OGLETHORPE, GA (WRCB) – UPDATE: There was a rush to buy bottled water in Ft. Oglethorpe on Thursday after a drinking water sample tested positive for e.coli.

Residents were under a boil advisory for most of the day. It was lifted later in the evening, once the city realized the contaminated sample was an “isolated incident.”

Residents we spoke with were angry and disgusted. Many of them flocked to stores to buy water in bulk.

Shopping carts at Ft. O’s Walmart Neighborhood Market were piled high with bottled water. Customer Johnny Hayes was stocking up, worried that his water was contaminated with e.coli.

“We’ve probably purchased, all together, about 15 gallons,” Hayes said.

The city issued a boil order for all customers on Thursday after e.coli bacteria was detected in a drinking water sample the day before.

“They waited a full day to tell us, and my wife’s wanting to whoop somebody,” said Hayes.

The advisory forced several restaurants to close, including Steak n Shake on Battlefield Parkway.

Workers at Sonic also turned away customers. An employee told us they were “not taking any chances.”

“Oh, boy, this is not good,” said customer Chris Morgan.

Jeanne Chambers was buying bottled water so she could cook at home.

“I have Thanksgiving cooking to do,” Chambers said. “We’re having our get-together this weekend, and I’ve got to cook.”

Some customers were making more than one stop, fearful they’d run out of clean water.

“I didn’t want to be greedy or hoard anything, but I just wanted to get several gallons of drinking water,” Chambers explained. “And then, I realized, I might need some more in case it goes on for a while.”

The city cancelled the boil order at 6 p.m. after additional tests came back negative.

“We certainly know this was alarming to the citizens,” said Mayor Earl Gray. “But the good news is, if you’ve been drinking the water all day today, you don’t have to worry.”

Gray said the sample was contaminated during a routine test that was taken from an outdoor hydrant.

“We’re going to go through the training again. We’re going to replace the type of gloves that we’ve been wearing. We’re going to replace the disinfectant that we’ve been using,” Gray promised. “Hopefully, we won’t have this problem again.”

Over the next week, workers will be taking random water samples across the city. We’re told additional voluntary testing will go on for the next month.

PREVIOUS STORY: The boil water notice issued for Fort Oglethorpe residents after e.coli bacteria was found has been lifted.

The city mayor says the sample of water that contained the bacteria was an “isolated incident.”

The e.coli bacteria were reportedly found in the water system on Nov. 16, 2016.

The city’s water is safe to drink without boiling it first.

Channel 3 will have more on this story coming up tonight on Eyewitness News at 11.

ORIGINAL STORY: A Boil Water Notice has been issued for residents living in the City of Fort Oglethorpe after e.coli bacteria was found in the drinking water.

Officials say the Boil Water Notice applies to all areas that are served by the Fort Oglethorpe Water System.

The e.coli bacteria were reportedly found in the water system on Nov. 16, 2016. E.coli bacteria can make you sick, and are a concern for those with weak immune systems.

Officials say residents using the Fort Oglethorpe Water System should boil water for at least a minute, and let it cool before using it. Another alternative is to use bottled water.

The boiled water should be used for: drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice.

Officials with the City of Fort Oglethorpe will notify residents when water tests show no more e.coli bacteria, and when it is safe to no longer boil water.

By Times Staff, originally posted on November 19, 2016

 

EAST CHICAGO — A 48-hour boil advisory for the entire city was lifted Saturday, an official said.

East Chicago issued the advisory Thursday after a drop in pressure in a high service water line, said Pete Harretos, plant manager for the water works.

by Mary Ann Thomas, originally posted on November 19, 2016

 

Al Pater Jr. was never told about the radioactive contamination near his home.

“I’ve lived here since 1997, and I never knew,” said Pater, 46, of Cheswick as he walked his dog along Spruce Street, talking to neighbors while they raked leaves.

The contamination has been in Cheswick longer than Pater.

Since the 1920s, radium-226 — once used to paint the faces of watches and clocks so the numbers would glow in the dark — has lurked in the soil where the former Keystone Metals Reduction plant once stood near Cheswick Avenue and Pittsburgh Street.

The material is known to cause cancer and a host of other ailments.

How much radium is in the soil in Cheswick isn’t known.

State Department of Environmental Protection soil surveys detected two areas of elevated radiation, with one reading as high as 66.4 picocuries per gram — 13 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency safety standard of 5 picocuries per gram.

And it’s not just in the soil. Tests show radium in the groundwater about 400 feet from drinking water wells used by the Municipal Authority of Harmar. The authority provides water to 3,000 households in Harmar, Cheswick and Springdale Township.

Authority and DEP officials, however, say the radium is not a threat to drinking water.

GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION

The municipal authority’s three drinking water wells near the contamination were drilled in 1945 and 1956, according to Joseph McCollum, operations administrator for Harmar Water Authority.

DEP has been conducting quarterly tests of Harmar’s drinking water wells for several years.

All samples except one have been below the maximum detection level. Neil Shader, a DEP spokesman, did not immediately know the level of radium in the abnormal test result.

“We are aware of the extent of the contamination and are confident that it is not spreading,” he said.

The agency is trying to determine whether additional monitoring wells are needed to ensure that drinking water is safe, Shader added.

McCollum said the authority has not had a problem with radium. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Allegheny County Health Department require that the agency test for the contaminant every nine years, he said.

The authority has been testing for radium since at least the 1990s and has not detected any, McCollum said. Its last test was in 2015.

“We feel that contamination has no direct impact on our water supply currently, and that the DEP is handling the situation and they have been in communication with us the entire time,” McCollum said.

WHAT TO DO?

The contamination was found and investigated in 2010 by DEP, mostly on land owned by the North American Fencing Corp. It’s commercial property and is not accessible to the public.

The DEP has not said how it found out about the contamination.

Richard Holsing, president of North American Fencing Corp., said he doesn’t want to comment on the matter until after a DEP public meeting on Dec. 1.

The DEP has spent several years assessing the site to determine how much of it is contaminated, installing monitoring wells and coming up with various options for what to do about the radium.

The DEP’s preferred option is to “cap” the roughly 6,500 cubic yards of radium-contaminated soil with several feet of clean soil at a cost of $1.6 million.

The radium would not be removed.

Most of the site is surrounded by quiet, residential streets with neat, well-kept ranch homes.

Pater estimates his home in the Meadow Court housing plan is a few hundred yards from the contamination.

“That’s scary to learn now,” he said.

He and other residents who live near the site plan to attend the Dec. 1 meeting, when they can comment on DEP’s plans to deal with the radium. Pater said he wants to know more about potential health consequences and the impact on property values.

The DEP investigated four possibilities for dealing with the radium:

• Take no action;

• Restrict the site to industrial use and cap it with as much as 6 feet of cover at a cost of $1.6 million;

• Remove contaminated soil at a cost of $8.6 million; or

• Remove all of the contamination, including contaminated groundwater, at a cost of $9.7 million.

The DEP wants to cap the site because it complies with regulatory requirements “at a reasonable cost and in a reasonable time frame with minimum risk to the community during remediation,” according to an agency analysis.

“The questions here are how much radium-226 was there to begin with, how much is there now and how deep and how far has it gone?” said John Stolz, a biology professor at Duquesne University and director of the school’s Center for Environmental Research and Education.

Stolz said whatever course of action is taken needs to be clearly explained to the public.

Residents should know that the cleanup strategy is not only cost effective but will prevent the contamination of local drinking water as well, he said.

“Given that radium-226 is a long-lasting contaminant, you want to assure it won’t be a problem for the drinking water in future.”

A GLOWING HISTORY

Keystone Metals Reduction, a Delaware corporation, bought the Cheswick site in 1921 to extract radium-226 from milled iron ore, producing luminous paint for watches, clocks and other instrumentation.

The company dumped waste on-site.

Female factory workers, known as “Radium Girls,” would dip thin brushes in radium-226, then use their lips to point the tips of the brushes so they could paint the watch and clock faces, making the numbers and hands glow.

Their plight was documented in the book “Radium Girls” by Claudia Clark.

At the time, according to the book, radium was a wondrous, glowing material that wasn’t considered dangerous.

The women’s work clothes often would glow while hanging in closets, no matter how often they were washed. Some of the women even spread the radium on their faces if they were going out to make themselves glow and impress their dates.

Years later, however, the women developed cancers and other health problems.

In its investigation, the DEP found little documentation on Keystone Metals Reduction.

Keystone went out of businesses in the early 1920s, and the site was subdivided and portions used for a number of businesses, including a lumber yard and car dealership, according to Andy Bock, Cheswick’s borough manager.

Fred Neumeyer, who owns some of the property that is contaminated by radium, supports the DEP’s proposal to cap the contamination with a layer of soil and restrict use of the property. He uses the site for a warehouse, truck repair and storage of equipment for his environmental remediation business.

“When I bought the three parcels here, I understood (the contamination issues),” Neumeyer said. “It’s what I do.”

Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. She can be reached at 724-226-4691 or mthomas@tribweb.com.