As toxic spill cleanup continues in Bristol, tap water in Bucks County is deemed safe

While the latex spill that is causing so much concern in Philadelphia happened in Bristol Township, Bucks County officials say the drinking water here has not been contaminated.

Why has the response to the chemical spill differed in Bucks County vs. Philadelphia?

Aqua Pennsylvania, the private water company that serves many municipalities in Bucks County, has a treatment plant in Bristol but it is upstream of where the spill occurred at the Trinseo Altuglas latex manufacturer near the Otter Creek in Bristol Township on Friday, and Aqua said it shut down the water treatment plant as soon as it learned of the spill. Testing shows its water supply has remained unaffected, officials said.

It has since reopened its plant when tides are carrying river water out to sea and closing them as a safety precaution when the tide is incoming.

“We monitor the tide and shut down the plant when it begins to move upstream. We have no evidence of water quality concerns around our intake ... Our water quality has remained unaffected since the spill occurred around 12 a.m. on Saturday, March 25,” the company said.

The company also is sending water from other regions it serves to Bucks to make up for the Bristol plant being shut down.

The Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority also stated its intake is up the river from where Otter Creek meets the Delaware River and its potable water is not affected, though it is monitoring the situation.

More: Is Bucks County at risk after Delaware River chemical spill ? What we know about drinking water

Are other water utilities affected in Bucks County?

Other water utilities serving Bucks include the Pennsylvania American Water, the Township of Falls Authority and the North Penn and North Wales water authorities that supply water to the Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, take water from farther up the river and since the non-tidal portions of the river flow southward, their intakes have not been affected.

Who is leading the cleanup on the Delaware River?

The state Department of Environmental Protection states it is working closely with utility companies including Aqua Pennsylvania, Lower Bucks Joint Municipal Authority, Philadelphia Water Department, and New Jersey American, city officials, and other government agencies to ensure that the safety of drinking water is not compromised.

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents Bucks County, stated Tuesday he has been in "constant communication with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and local officials to address the chemical spill," and is monitoring the situation.

The DEP noted that ongoing water sampling is being conducted at various locations. Contaminants have not been detected at drinking water intakes at this time. There have not been any signs of fish or wildlife impacts.

Trinseo Altuglas Senior Vice President Paula Cooney said in an email that the accidental release of an estimated 8,100 gallons of latex emulsion product is still under review. "Our preliminary investigation shows that a pipe burst and the facility’s containment system was breached. Trinseo is conducting an internal review of our facility and will take the steps necessary to address any issues we identify. In the meantime, we will continue to do all can to assist in a thorough assessment of environmental impacts. Trinseo is Responsible Care® company. We place the highest value on the safety of our employees and our community and on excellent environmental performance. When our standards are not met, we take immediate corrective action, as we are doing in this case," she said.

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Will the chemical spill affect opening of trout season Saturday?

Saturday marks the opening day of trout season in Pennsylvania.

The state Fish and Boat Commission said that the Delaware River is not stocked with trout. The commission has not seen any evidence of the effect of the spill on aquatic life but Mike Parker, commission spokesman said that anglers should be cautious and use “common sense” about fishing for consumable fish in the river near the spill site or in Otter Creek, where the latex spill entered the Delaware River basin and which is a habitat for catfish and other warm-water fish.

Any long-term impact on fish will be monitored by the commission’s waterway conservation officers “on an ongoing basis,” he said.

What about the situation in Philadelphia?

Philadephia, which is downstream of the spill, takes water from the Delaware at its Baxter treatment plant which serves a large portion of the city.

The Philadelphia Water Department has been monitoring the situation with the river water since the spill was reported late Friday evening but so far has not found evidence of contamination of the city supplies and said the water is safe until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. It is urging residents and businesses to store a three-day supply of the currently safe tap water in case contamination of the city’s raw water supply is found later this week as the toxic spill works its way downstream. This will help with the run on stores for bottled water which has left many stores without supplies.

On a related note, Wakefern, the parent distributor for the ShopRite supermarkets  in Philadelphia and the suburbs, announced it is trying to alleviate the shortage. “We are seeing heavy demand for bottled water and delivering more supply to our stores in Philadelphia and surrounding areas to help people get what they need,’ said Wakefern spokeswoman Karen O’Shea.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Delaware River chemical spill cleanup continues, water still safe