 |
|
|
Feb. 10, 2003 Contact: Bonnie Widerburg (503) 731-4180 Technical contacts: Dave Stone, Ph.D. (503) 731- 4012, John McEvoy, Linn County Health Department (541) 967-3821, Ron Smith, Benton County Health Department (541) 766-6841 Task force finds no public health hazard, DHS lifts warning Residents in Linn and Benton County who draw water from wells near an Oregon State University (OSU) laboratory are being informed that a warning regarding their well water is removed. The warning, issued in 2000 by the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), cautioned these people to consider using bottled water for drinking and cooking. DHS lifted the warning after an intergovernmental task force reported finding no current health hazard in the water. The warning dates to spring 2000, when OSU scientists discovered a number of symptoms including high mortality, altered growth, anemia and cancerous tumors in trout from tanks inside the Food Toxicology and Nutrition lab, east of Corvallis on Highway 34. This was preceded by an unexpected high rate of fish death at the lab in December 1998. OSU determined it was likely the fish health effects were caused by a chemical contaminant in the lab water supply, which comes from shallow groundwater east of the Willamette River. A taskforce with representatives from OSU, DHS, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Linn and Benton county health departments was convened to look into the problem. "DHS issued the warning to well owners as a precaution because of potential health risk associated with the fish toxicity events at the OSU lab and because these wells draw from the same aquifer, "says Dave Stone, Ph.D., toxicologist in DHS. "The warning is removed because there is no evidence that the causative agent remains in the shallow ground water. The potential for exposure to hazardous material in the water or health risk from drinking the water is minimal." Stone said the investigation revealed very low levels of pesticide and petroleum compounds in the water, but found nothing to explain the two fish toxicity events. Task force members agree the contaminants are typical for shallow groundwater, or less than 40 feet, in general. "The levels were significantly below Environmental Protection Agency regulatory standards and do not indicate a cause for health concern," says Stone. While the causative agent remains uncertain, the task force characterized the 1998 and 2000 events as episodic in nature and not the result of long-term hazardous conditions. No further unusual fish deaths or symptoms have occurred in the past 18 months at the OSU lab or associated groundwater. "Although another fish toxicity episode may occur in the future, the task force has determined that the larger issue is the shallow wells found throughout the Willamette Valley that are vulnerable to bacterial and chemical contamination," says Stone. Stone reminds well owners that they have the ultimate responsibility to monitor the safety of their well water. Anyone wanting information on how to check their well water should contact Dennis Nelson in the DHS drinking water program at (541) 726-2587, ext. 21. A detailed fact sheet on the fish toxicity events and shallow groundwater is on the Web at www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/esc/docs/osulab.cfm |
|
