1st Camp Lejune, now Barstow, CA
Don't Drink the water!
http://www.poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=10801231
Barstow residents told don't drink water due to perchlorate
Nov, 20, 2010 05:33 AM - San Bernardino County Sun (CA)
Nov. 20--BARSTOW -- Don't drink the water.
That's what residents here were told Friday after unsafe perchlorate levels were discovered in local drinking water.
Golden State Water Co., which services Barstow and the surrounding area, issued the do-not-drink advisory to customers after water tests conducted at several sites on Thursday revealed perchlorate levels exceeded six parts per billion, the maximum threshold considered safe.
"They were handing out public notices telling about 40,000 people don't drink your water," said Bob Conaway, a Barstow-based attorney who lives in Hinkley. "They're making a concerted effort to hand it out, which is pretty unique. That means that there is some serious, toxic levels in the water. This is huge."
The initial test was taken from the water distribution system at the Marine Corps Logistics Base, a statement from the water company says. Water samples were then collected from distribution systems outside the base and yielded the same results, the statement says.
On Friday, all wells serving the water company's Barstow system were tested. The water company didn't state if those results weren't available Friday, but it did say they will help pinpoint the source of contamination.
The city of Barstow and the water company have posted notices on their websites cautioning residents to avoid tap water.
"Barstow customers should not consume ice, water, beverage or formula prepared with tap water
until further notice," the water company statement said.
San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said Friday evening county officials were in the assessment stage and identifying resources available to aid residents.
"We don't have any plans in place at this time, but we are working on it," Wert said.
The county Emergency Operations Center is staffed with employees from the Environmental Health and Public Health departments who will respond to aid requests, Wert said.
Conaway said neighboring business owners were calling as many people as they could Friday, especially those with young children, to spread the word.
"These are not alarmist people," he said. "These are pretty level-headed people. Someone's got to get a handle on this pretty quickly because this is pretty catastrophic. They're telling people not not to drink the water (or) cook with it."
Boiling, freezing, filtering or letting water stand won't reduce perchlorate levels, the city's statement said. Boiling causes evaporation, which leads to concentrated perchlorate levels, the city statement said.
"Golden State Water Company is aggressively investigating our water system to determine the source of contamination so that it can be eliminated," the city statement said.
Perchlorate is an ingredient found in munitions, fireworks and rocket fuel that's known to affect human thyroid function. Explosives and munition manufacturing in the local area is believed to be one way the chemical seeped into the Inland Empire groundwater supply.
A phone call seeking comment from a water company representative on Friday was not immediately returned.
For more information, contact the company's customer service department at 800-999-4033 or visit its website, gswater.com.
[email protected], 909-386-3872
To see more of the San Bernardino County Sun, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sbsun.com.
Don't Drink the water!
http://www.poten.com/NewsDetails.aspx?id=10801231
Barstow residents told don't drink water due to perchlorate
Nov, 20, 2010 05:33 AM - San Bernardino County Sun (CA)
Nov. 20--BARSTOW -- Don't drink the water.
That's what residents here were told Friday after unsafe perchlorate levels were discovered in local drinking water.
Golden State Water Co., which services Barstow and the surrounding area, issued the do-not-drink advisory to customers after water tests conducted at several sites on Thursday revealed perchlorate levels exceeded six parts per billion, the maximum threshold considered safe.
"They were handing out public notices telling about 40,000 people don't drink your water," said Bob Conaway, a Barstow-based attorney who lives in Hinkley. "They're making a concerted effort to hand it out, which is pretty unique. That means that there is some serious, toxic levels in the water. This is huge."
The initial test was taken from the water distribution system at the Marine Corps Logistics Base, a statement from the water company says. Water samples were then collected from distribution systems outside the base and yielded the same results, the statement says.
On Friday, all wells serving the water company's Barstow system were tested. The water company didn't state if those results weren't available Friday, but it did say they will help pinpoint the source of contamination.
The city of Barstow and the water company have posted notices on their websites cautioning residents to avoid tap water.
"Barstow customers should not consume ice, water, beverage or formula prepared with tap water
until further notice," the water company statement said.
San Bernardino County spokesman David Wert said Friday evening county officials were in the assessment stage and identifying resources available to aid residents.
"We don't have any plans in place at this time, but we are working on it," Wert said.
The county Emergency Operations Center is staffed with employees from the Environmental Health and Public Health departments who will respond to aid requests, Wert said.
Conaway said neighboring business owners were calling as many people as they could Friday, especially those with young children, to spread the word.
"These are not alarmist people," he said. "These are pretty level-headed people. Someone's got to get a handle on this pretty quickly because this is pretty catastrophic. They're telling people not not to drink the water (or) cook with it."
Boiling, freezing, filtering or letting water stand won't reduce perchlorate levels, the city's statement said. Boiling causes evaporation, which leads to concentrated perchlorate levels, the city statement said.
"Golden State Water Company is aggressively investigating our water system to determine the source of contamination so that it can be eliminated," the city statement said.
Perchlorate is an ingredient found in munitions, fireworks and rocket fuel that's known to affect human thyroid function. Explosives and munition manufacturing in the local area is believed to be one way the chemical seeped into the Inland Empire groundwater supply.
A phone call seeking comment from a water company representative on Friday was not immediately returned.
For more information, contact the company's customer service department at 800-999-4033 or visit its website, gswater.com.
[email protected], 909-386-3872
To see more of the San Bernardino County Sun, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sbsun.com.
