Worried About Toxins in East Palestine Water?

Here's Everything We Know That Can Help.

Photo by kazuend on Unsplash

The situation in East Palestine, Ohio, and surrounding areas is ongoing and information is changing quickly but here’s what we know today, February 15, 2023. If you missed yesterday’s post, go here.

ICYMI: Officials say air quality in East Palestine is fine but don’t drink the water | WOUB Public Media

Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said air quality testing shows it is the same as it was before. But Tiffani Kavalec, chief of Division of Surface Water for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), said they’re watching the cloud and how it could affect water systems.

“We know that there is a plume moving down the Ohio River,” Kavalec said.

Kavalec said water systems are being shut down as that plume goes over an area and testing is taking place to make sure the water is safe.

Residents of East Palestine are being advised to drink bottled water for now. Vanderhoff said water from the municipal system appears to be fine but more extensive testing is ongoing. But he said people with private wells should get them tested. He said they can do so by calling 330-849-3919.

Read more here.

And anyone on the ground, trust your instincts. We are reporting what officials are saying but only those in the area can determine what feels safe for you.

FAQS

Big thanks to our friends, the scientists and support team at Tap Score & SimpleLab, for putting together this info.

SimpleLab is an award-winning science and health services company founded at the University of California in Berkeley with the mission of improving drinking water and long-term health. Tap Score is a service for easy home water testing and reporting, created by SimpleLab. We wrote about them back in in 2021.*

*The Brockovich Report is not affiliated with their services, they are just friends and we think their independent water testing is safe and easy. We are offering a few links to their testing kits for ease and for anyone who may want to test their water.

What was spilled? 

The U.S. EPA has said that the following chemicals were known to have been released into the air, ground and water:

• Vinyl chloride

• Butyl acrylate

• Ethylhexyl acrylate 

• Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether

• Isobutylene

These are industrial chemicals used to make products like PVC, rubber, paint, and other chemicals. You can be exposed to these chemicals via ingestion, dermal contact or inhalation (because they are volatile and quickly partition into the air).

What is vinyl chloride?

Also Known As: Chloroethene

Vinyl chloride is a flammable gas with a sweet odor. It is an important industrial compound used in the production of polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Vinyl chloride is considered carcinogenic. While it is possible to ingest vinyl chloride in contaminated drinking water, it is more common to be exposed via inhalation. Symptoms of acute exposure in ambient air include dizziness, nausea, visual disturbances, headache, and ataxia.

You can test for vinyl chloride in water with a lab testing kit for VOCs.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Water Test Kit

What is butyl acrylate?

Also Known As: 2-Propenoic acid butyl ester; acrylic acid butyl ester

Butyl acrylate is a colorless liquid with a fruity, strong odor. It is used in the manufacture of polymers and resins, and in paint formulations.

You can begin to smell butyl acrylate when its concentration exceeds 0.035 parts per million (PPM) , but odor thresholds can vary greatly by person. You should not rely on odor alone to determine if butyl acrylate is present at a potentially hazardous concentration. Exposure to butyl acrylate can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

What is ethylhexyl acrylate?

Also Known As: 2-Propenoic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester; Acrylic acid, 2-ethylhexyl ester

Ethylhexyl acrylate is a colorless liquid with a sweet odor. It is used in the preparation of acrylic resins, acrylate adhesives and polymers.

You can be exposed to ethylhexyl acrylate via inhalation or skin contact. At levels starting at 5 PPM in air, exposure to ethylhexyl acrylate can cause sore throat, redness and irritation of eyes or skin, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. While not classifiable as a human carcinogen, testing has shown cancer in lab mice.

What is ethylene glycol monobutyl ether?

Also Known As: 2-Butoxyethanol

Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether is a colorless liquid with a mild odor. It is used in paint, varnish, solvent, and is flammable.

Acute exposures to high concentrations of ethylene glycol monobutyl ether can cause irritation to the respiratory tract and eyes.

What is isobutylene?

Also Known As: Isobutene; 2-methylpropene

Isobutylene is a flammable gas with a petroleum-like odor. It is used to make butyl rubber and as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals.

Inhalation of isobutylene can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and can lead to dizziness, drowsiness and unconsciousness at moderate concentrations.

Will this spill affect my drinking water? 

It is possible for these chemicals to get into the drinking water supply, either public utility water drawn from the Ohio River or private wells in the area, but it is not a guarantee that drinking water will be impacted. 

The federal and state branches of the EPA are monitoring surface and groundwater in the area of the spill and along the Ohio River, and public drinking water in the area. 

As of right now, butyl acrylate and ethylhexyl acrylate have been detected outside of the containment area in creeks that feed the Ohio River, but there have been no detections in public drinking water. No results of private well testing have been posted. 

Results of public drinking water and surface water monitoring in the area are posted and updated here. 

How concerned should I be about my health?

These chemicals are hazardous to human health in both air and water, but the extent of the potential risk depends on the concentrations of the contaminants and the duration of the exposure.

One of these chemicals, vinyl chloride, is regularly monitored in drinking water. Vinyl chloride is carcinogenic and the EPA has set its maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) in drinking water at 0. This means there is no known safe concentration of vinyl chloride in drinking water assuming a lifetime of exposure.

You can test for vinyl chloride in water with a lab testing kit for VOCs.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Water Test Kit

Learn more about VOCs here.

If you get tap water from a public water system or utility then you're probably OK. Utilities in the area are monitoring their source water and prepared to deal with the situation if contamination is detected.

If you get your drinking water from a private well, you are responsible for your own water quality. Pay attention to the news and any reports of contamination reaching groundwater nearby. We don’t know right now if these chemicals will make it into groundwater and, if they do, if they will reach water that supplies private wells.

Are public utilities doing anything about this contamination?

Yes. Various utilities that source water from the Ohio River have announced that they are carefully monitoring their intake water for contamination and have alternative sources on standby in case contamination is detected. 

In addition, they have announced that they have either enhanced their treatment processes or have additional treatment ready in case it’s needed.

(See the article above that right now authorities recommend residents of East Palestine drink bottled water for now. I would also be careful with cooking, bathing, etc.)

I’m on public utility water, should I test my water? What should I test for?

If you’re on public utility water you are not at high risk of health impacts because there are professional engineers who oversee your drinking water quality and treatment plant operations.

These personnel have already been alerted to the spill and its potential risks. They are monitoring the raw water supply for indicators of dangerous concentrations of any of the contaminants.

Residents near East Palestine with drinking water wells can request testing by calling 330-849-3919

If you want to test your water for peace of mind, you can use:

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Water Test Kit

Tests for 60 different VOCs, including vinyl chloride.

I’m on spring/well water, should I test my water? What should I test for?

You’re more likely to be at risk if you’re on private well water or spring water than if you’re on public tap water because there is no professional oversight of the water quality in your well. Residents of areas immediately surrounding the spill site are eligible for free well testing, refer to this website for phone numbers to call to request free testing and speak with toxicologists.

If you have a private or shared well or spring water supply and you want to test your water for contamination related to this spill, we suggest the following:

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Water Test Kit

Tests for 60 different VOCs, including vinyl chloride.

Advanced Well Water Test Kit

Tests for 60 different VOCs plus 52 additional parameters, like heavy metals.

UPDATE: Because private water wells may be closer to the surface than the municipal water wells, the Ohio EPA recommends that those who receive drinking water from private water wells schedule an appointment for well water testing by an independent consultant. 

For information on how to schedule your private water well for testing, call 330-849-3919. The Ohio Department of Health encourages those with private wells to use bottled water until their well water testing results are returned.  

How often should I test?

The truth is that we currently do not know. 

If you’re on well water it’s important to test once or twice a year, regardless of nearby conditions. However, in a situation like this one there are too many variables to give a strong recommendation for testing frequency. Make sure to pay attention to the news and, specifically, to reports about the results of local groundwater sampling campaigns so you know if contamination is detected in groundwater near you. If so, it is advisable to test your water right away.

What can I do to remove these chemicals from my water?

Because these compounds are volatile, it is best to remove them from all of the water entering your house. This means treatment at the wellhead or point-of-entry is best. Aeration and activated carbon treatment systems are recommended for reduction of volatile organic compounds, like those involved in the spill.

Multi-stage treatment systems may also include an activated carbon step—this is often the case for reverse osmosis systems, for example.

Will boiling my water help?

Boiling your water is not advised—volatile chemicals like those released in this spill are released into the air when water is boiled and become inhalation hazards.

Will distillation help?

Distillation is not recommended—in general, distillation is not recommended for the removal of volatile organic compounds. If the target compounds have boiling points near that of water, distillation will not adequately remove them.

Will my water softener help?

A water softener will not remove these compounds from your drinking water.

The ion exchange technology used in water softeners is not effective for the removal of volatile organic compounds like those released in this spill.

Will reverse osmosis help?

Reverse osmosis is not recommended—small molecules with no charge, like those released in this spill, are not always removed well by reverse osmosis. Specifically, we know that vinyl chloride often makes it through reverse osmosis membranes.

However, many RO systems come with an activated carbon filtration stage. This stage should take care of the VOCs.

This info from SimpleLab will continue to be updated here.

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We hope this info helps answer some of the biggest water questions right now. Have more info to share? Let us know in the comments below!