DE: Massengale suggested that residents limit their access to the river as a precaution.
SATURDAY UPDATE: More results show Danville's water safe to drink
UPDATE POSTED SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8: Danville Utilities has received a second set of test results. These results are from treated water samples collected on Tuesday, and they show Danville’s water is safe to drink.
The treated water samples were collected by Danville Utilities from the city’s reservoirs. Those samples were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. The lab tested the samples for the presence of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium and zinc.
The lab found no detectable level of arsenic, cadmium, chromium or selenium. Low levels – all below public health standards for drinking water – of copper, lead and zinc were found.
Danville Utilities continues to collect raw water and treated water samples. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
ORGINIAL STORY POSTED THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6:
Danville Utilities received test results Thursday that continue to show Danville’s water is safe to drink.
The test results are from raw water samples collected from the Dan River at the city’s intake on Tuesday by Danville Utilities. Those samples were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. The lab tested the samples for the presence of heavy metals.
The lab found no detectable level of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, silver or selenium. Low levels – all below public health standards for drinking water – of boron, calcium, copper, magnesium, sodium and zinc were found.
The level of iron in the raw water exceeded drinking water standards, but iron is easily removed in routine water treatment, said Barry Dunkley, division director of water and wastewater treatment for Danville Utilities.
In addition to collecting raw water samples, Danville Utilities on Tuesday collected samples of water entering the distribution system following treatment. Those samples also were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
Danville Utilities continues to collect raw water and treated water samples. Samples collected on Wednesday and Thursday have been sent to the lab. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
Duke Energy also continues to collect raw water and treated water samples in Danville. Those tests results continue to confirm the water entering the city’s distribution system following treatment meets drinking water standards.
The water samples collected by Duke Energy are analyzed for the presence of heavy metals.
A break Sunday afternoon in a storm water pipe beneath an ash basin at Duke Energy’s shuttered Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C., caused a release of ash basin water and ash into the Dan River.
Dunkley said Thursday the concentration of fly ash in the raw water drawn from the Dan River continues to decrease, and the city continues to remove successfully the ash from the raw water.
City Manager Joe King issued a statement on Thursday, which read in part as follows:
“We take very seriously our responsibility to consistently deliver clean drinking water and maintain the public’s confidence that we are doing so. Coming off the recent water contamination episode in West Virginia, people are understandably concerned and suspicious about assurances that water is safe to drink if contrary physical evidence (grey cloudy river water in our case) is apparent.”
He continued, saying, “Duke Energy officials have been in constant communication with us since Monday morning. This afternoon, Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good telephoned Mayor Saunders to apologize for the incident and bring him up to date on progress being made in stopping the leak. Virginia Governor McAuliffe telephoned the Mayor and offered help from the Commonwealth if needed. We will continue to monitor the situation and do our best to keep citizens informed.”
At 1 p.m. Friday, Duke Energy officials will meet with City Council and city staff to provide a review and update regarding the coal ash spill into the Dan River. The meeting will take place in the Council Chambers on the fourth floor of the Municipal Building. River City TV will broadcast the meeting. Watch it live on Comcast cable channel 10 or streaming at RiverCityTV.org.
Danville Utilities has been monitoring the situation, and it has been in consultation with multiple departments and agencies, including Danville Emergency Management, Duke Energy, the Office of Drinking Water at the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Emergency Management, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
In response to questions received by the city regarding the health effects of coal ash in the Dan River, the following information from the Virginia Department of Health is being made available:
What is coal ash?
Coal ash is made of minerals, just like those in soil and rocks. It is a gray, powdery material that is leftover after coal is burned. Coal fly ash is collected with air pollution control equipment at power plants and is often kept wet (in holding ponds) to prevent it from getting into the air.
Is exposure to coal ash likely to cause harm?
In general, coal ash may contain the following metals: aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, tin, titanium, vanadium, and zinc.
Exposure to coal ash can occur through contact with the skin, accidental ingestion, and inhalation.
Short-term exposure to coal ash is unlikely to have any adverse health effects. In addition, we do not expect any long-term exposure to result from this spill. VDH is working with federal, state, and local agencies to evaluate available sampling data and keep residents informed.
Is my drinking water safe?
At this time, water results indicate that Danville’s drinking water meets drinking water standards. If you have a private well and live in Virginia, please consult with Southside Health District at (434) 799-5190. If you live in North Carolina and are concerned about your drinking water, please contact the Public Information Officer for N.C. Department of Water Resources at (919) 707-9014.
Is the Dan River safe to use for recreation?
VDH has not yet evaluated river water data for recreational safety. Until our evaluation is complete, VDH recommends exercising caution when using the Dan River for recreational purposes (boating, fishing, and kayaking). Direct contact with coal ash may cause skin irritation. Avoid contact with submerged or floating ash and if ash is contacted, wash off with soap and water.
Is it safe to eat fish from the Dan River?
VDH has an existing fish consumption advisory in place for the Dan River due to PCBs and mercury from historical activities not related to the recent coal ash spill. Do not eat flathead catfish greater than 32 inches, and do not consume more than two fish meals per month for several other fish species. Additional information on fish consumption advisories is available at: www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/dee/PublicHealthToxicology/Advisories/
What is VDH doing to protect my health?
Several VDH offices, including the Office of Drinking Water and the Office of Epidemiology, will continue to work together to assess sampling results and determine if there are any risks to Virginia residents.
Whom do I contact with questions?
Contact VDH’s Danville Field Office for the Office of Drinking Water at (434) 836-8416 with drinking water concerns. Contact VDH’s Division of Environmental Epidemiology at (804) 864-8111 with questions about coal ash or health effects.
Updated 12:49 a.m.
EDEN — Duke Energy crews have plugged the leak that has allowed coal ash to spill into the Dan River for five days, a company official said Friday.
The fix is only a temporary solution. Crews still plan to excavate the coal ash storage pit and permanently close off the stormwater pipe that failed Sunday, sending an estimated 82,000 tons of toxic ash into the adjacent river.
Paul Newton, Duke’s North Carolina utility operations president, apologized to Danville, Va., officials for the spill and said the company would do whatever was necessary to fix the river.
“You have our complete, 100 percent commitment to do it right,” Newton said. “We are accountable and we will make it right.”
The ash is what’s left after coal is burned. It was stored in pits beside the decommissioned Duke Energy Dan River Steam Station in Eden along the bank of the river.
State regulators took water samples 1 mile and 7 miles downstream from the spill Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The samples tested positive for trace amounts of heavy metals and other contaminants. The levels were within the state’s surface water safety standards, meaning it was safe for boating or aquatic life.
“What we are looking at is river health. It does protect for human health and aquatic health, but the standards are different (from drinking water safety standards) because you normally don’t dip a cup into river water and drink it,” said Susan Massengale, spokeswoman for the state’s division of water quality.
The state found lead and arsenic levels above the stricter federal safe drinking water levels in a downriver sample taken Monday, according to test results.
Environmental groups found even higher levels of arsenic and lead closer to the spill site.
Newton said the company will continue to sample the water indefinitely.
Duke engineers and work crews have worked since Sunday to stop the leak in the stormwater pipe that was beneath one of the storage basins.
They used sandbags and rocks to plug the pipe and a pump to syphon water out of it. No more coal ash is seeping into the river from the pipe, Newton said.
Newton said the company will work with environmental regulators to determine what, if any, type of cleanup may have to be done on the river.
“It’s just too early to know what needs to be done,” Newton said.
Massengale said Duke could be asked to dredge up the coal ash that is coating the bottom of the river. Or the ash could be allowed to stay in place and eventually be covered up by sediment.
The state has not begun to assess the spill’s impact on the river bed.
Massengale suggested that residents limit their access to the river as a precaution.
Updated 8:08 p.m.
EDEN — Water samples taken Monday and Tuesday from the Dan River show high levels for copper, iron and aluminum both upstream and downstream of the coal ash leak, according to a news release.
Also, samples collected Monday and Tuesday revealed that arsenic levels exceeded a state standard for surface water quality, according to the release from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Levels of arsenic decreased at the two downstream sampling points between Monday and Tuesday morning, the release said.
Friday’s results show the level of copper, iron and aluminum upstream and downstream of the spill exceeded state surface water standards, but those levels were far greater downstream than upstream, the release states.
The state is continuing water quality sampling upstream and downstream of the spill and started collecting sediment samples from the bottom of the Dan River at the site of the spill from a coal ash pond at Duke Energy's closed steam station in Eden.
The state agency will be releasing results of tests conducted in the wake of the spill as they are available, the release said.
“This analysis is the first step in a process to accurately characterize any impacts from the spill to the Dan River and determine appropriate action going forward,” said Tom Reeder, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources. “We hope to see these levels continue to decrease as mitigation efforts progress.”
The department has set up a website featuring information about the coal ash spill discovered on Sunday, www.ncdenr.gov, click on the “Dan River Spill” tab.
Check back at news-record.com for updates.
Posted 1:48 p.m.
EDEN — Duke Energy crews have plugged the leak that has allowed coal ash to spill into the Dan River for five days, a company official said Friday.
The fix is only a temporary solution. Crews still plan to excavate the coal ash storage pit and permanently close off the stormwater pipe that failed Sunday, sending an estimated 82,000 tons of toxic ash into the adjacent river.
Paul Newton, Duke’s North Carolina utility operations president, apologized to Danville, Va., officials for the spill and said the company would do whatever was necessary to fix the river.
“You have our complete, 100 percent commitment to do it right,” Newton said. “We are accountable and we will make it right.”
The ash is what’s left over after coal is burned. It was stored beside the decommissioned Duke Energy Dan River Steam Station in Eden on the banks of the river.
State regulators took water samples one mile and seven miles downstream from the spill Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The samples tested positive for trace amounts of heavy metals and other contaminants. The levels were within the state’s surface water safety standards, meaning it was safe for boating or aquatic life.
“What we are looking at is river health. It does protect for human health and aquatic health, but the standards are different (from drinking water safety standards) because you normally don’t dip a cup into river water and drink it,” said Susan Massengale, spokeswoman for the state’s division of water quality.
The state found lead and arsenic above the stricter federal safe drinking water levels in a down river sample taken Monday, according to test results.
Environmental groups found even higher levels of arsenic and lead closer to the spill site.
Newton said the company will continue to sample the water indefinitely.
Duke engineers and work crews have worked since Sunday to stop the leak in the stormwater pipe that was located beneath one of the storage pits.
They used sand bags and rocks to plug the pipe and a pump to syphon water out of it. No more coal ash is seeping into the river from the pipe, Newton said.
Newton said the company will work with environmental regulators to determine what, if any, type of cleanup may have to be done on the river.
“It’s just too early to know what needs to be done,” Newton said.
Massengale said Duke could be asked to dredge up the coal ash that is coating the bottom of the river. Or the ash could be allowed to stay in place and eventually be covered up by sediment.
The state has not yet begun to assess the spill’s impact on the river bed.
Massengale suggested that residents limit their access to the river as a precaution.
Paul Newton, state president for Duke Energy, told city officials in Danville, Va., this afternoon that the leak into the Dan River has been stopped.
A spokesman with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said the pipe was temporarily blocked using sand bags.
Crews are still working on a way to permanently close the storm water pipe, which broke and spewed coal ash into the Dan River.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_6b8627b2-9028-11e3-b088-001a4bcf6878.html
Dan River coal ash spill Coal ash flows into the Dan River in Eden from a Duke Energy coal ash pond. A stormwater pipe broke underneath the unlined pond, allowing the coal ash to flow into the river, which is a source of water for the city of Danville, Va.
Duke Energy officials met with members of Danville City Council and the public Friday to talk about the company’s response to the coal ash spill at the closed Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C., that has polluted the Dan River.
Paul Newton, North Carolina state president for Duke Energy, said the spill has all but stopped because water has been removed from the site and hundreds of people are working to permanently seal off the pipe. At this point, he said, only a rain storm could cause the broken pipe responsible for the leak to have any water flowing again.
Newton began his talk Friday in a packed City Council chambers by apologizing for the spill, assuring listeners that the company is “working 24 hours a day to plug that leak” and is “committed to environmental remediation … committed to making it right.”
The company originally said the pipe that failed was 48-inch reinforced concrete (a map of the area handed out to media representatives on Tuesday also said it was concrete), but when they dug up enough of the pipe to send a camera in to find the break, it was learned that two-thirds of the pipe was corrugated metal connected to reinforced concrete pipes at each end.
Newton admitted that Duke Energy dropped the ball in keeping track of the pipe, no matter how old the site is.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” Newton said. “We’re better than this.”
Vice Mayor Gary Miller said he was upset with how the situation was handled from the beginning, with the city not being given enough information during the first 24 hours to plan its own response to the break.
“We’re going to hold you accountable,” Miller said. “We are counting on you to fix the ecosystem.”
Newton fielded questions for more than an hour, answering concerns ranging from the affect the spill could have on fish and animals to requests for a timeline showing when the river would return to normal and how that would be accomplished, to providing a list of the chemicals and metals the company is testing for in the river.
Newton said a timeline isn’t possible yet because the company — with the Environmental Protection Agency, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and other North Carolina, Virginia and federal agencies — needs to assess the impact of the spill and work out a remediation plan.
Andrew Lester, executive director of the Roanoke River Basin Association, questioned how water samples are being collected and tested. Newton said Duke Energy is not the only group testing water — that various federal and state agencies, as well as Danville Utilities and various environmental groups, are all collecting samples independently to assure themselves that the treated drinking water in Danville and South Boston is safe to use (Eden, N.C., does not get its drinking water from the affected part of the river).
Waters tests have come back showing Danville’s treated water is safe, falling well within public drinking water requirements, but some private environmental groups are questioning whether enough testing for enough different possible contaminants are being made at enough places and depths of the river to give an full picture of potential problems.
Appalachian Voices on Friday said their raw water samples taken close to the spill site showed very high levels of arsenic, aluminum, iron, manganese and lead.
The group did, however, say tests done at the Danville water treatment plant seem to support the findings that the water is safe to drink.
“The testing results so far indicate that downstream drinking water supplies are safe, but there are likely to be major ecological impacts from this spill,” Appalachian Voices said in a news release. “Also, there are numerous, potentially harmful pollutants that have not been tested for … Other contaminants that have turned up in the samples, such as boron, vanadium and molybdenum, do not have standards, which does not mean they won’t impact aquatic life or drinking water.”
Though this spill is small compared to the one in Tennessee in 2008 — Newton said the Eden spill is about 2 percent of the size of that ash spill — the company sees it as serious, Newton said.
“This is still a serious accident in our view,” Newton said. “It is a game-changer for our company with respect to how to manage an ash pond. … There are norms out there in the industry, but we are going to look at them differently as a result of this spill.”
Whatever the cost, the company is promising to fix environmental issues.
“We will make it right,” Newton said.
http://www.godanriver.com/news/coal-ash/duke-energy-we-apologize/article_bdfd6890-905d-11e3-bd8c-001a4bcf6878.html
The treated water samples were collected by Danville Utilities from the city’s reservoirs. Those samples were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. The lab tested the samples for the presence of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium and zinc.
The lab found no detectable level of arsenic, cadmium, chromium or selenium. Low levels – all below public health standards for drinking water – of copper, lead and zinc were found.
Danville Utilities continues to collect raw water and treated water samples. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
ORGINIAL STORY POSTED THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6:
Danville Utilities received test results Thursday that continue to show Danville’s water is safe to drink.
The test results are from raw water samples collected from the Dan River at the city’s intake on Tuesday by Danville Utilities. Those samples were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. The lab tested the samples for the presence of heavy metals.
The lab found no detectable level of antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, silver or selenium. Low levels – all below public health standards for drinking water – of boron, calcium, copper, magnesium, sodium and zinc were found.
The level of iron in the raw water exceeded drinking water standards, but iron is easily removed in routine water treatment, said Barry Dunkley, division director of water and wastewater treatment for Danville Utilities.
In addition to collecting raw water samples, Danville Utilities on Tuesday collected samples of water entering the distribution system following treatment. Those samples also were sent to a Virginia certified private lab. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
Danville Utilities continues to collect raw water and treated water samples. Samples collected on Wednesday and Thursday have been sent to the lab. Results will be made available to the public when they are received.
Duke Energy also continues to collect raw water and treated water samples in Danville. Those tests results continue to confirm the water entering the city’s distribution system following treatment meets drinking water standards.
The water samples collected by Duke Energy are analyzed for the presence of heavy metals.
A break Sunday afternoon in a storm water pipe beneath an ash basin at Duke Energy’s shuttered Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C., caused a release of ash basin water and ash into the Dan River.
Dunkley said Thursday the concentration of fly ash in the raw water drawn from the Dan River continues to decrease, and the city continues to remove successfully the ash from the raw water.
City Manager Joe King issued a statement on Thursday, which read in part as follows:
“We take very seriously our responsibility to consistently deliver clean drinking water and maintain the public’s confidence that we are doing so. Coming off the recent water contamination episode in West Virginia, people are understandably concerned and suspicious about assurances that water is safe to drink if contrary physical evidence (grey cloudy river water in our case) is apparent.”
He continued, saying, “Duke Energy officials have been in constant communication with us since Monday morning. This afternoon, Duke Energy CEO Lynn Good telephoned Mayor Saunders to apologize for the incident and bring him up to date on progress being made in stopping the leak. Virginia Governor McAuliffe telephoned the Mayor and offered help from the Commonwealth if needed. We will continue to monitor the situation and do our best to keep citizens informed.”
At 1 p.m. Friday, Duke Energy officials will meet with City Council and city staff to provide a review and update regarding the coal ash spill into the Dan River. The meeting will take place in the Council Chambers on the fourth floor of the Municipal Building. River City TV will broadcast the meeting. Watch it live on Comcast cable channel 10 or streaming at RiverCityTV.org.
Danville Utilities has been monitoring the situation, and it has been in consultation with multiple departments and agencies, including Danville Emergency Management, Duke Energy, the Office of Drinking Water at the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia Emergency Management, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
In response to questions received by the city regarding the health effects of coal ash in the Dan River, the following information from the Virginia Department of Health is being made available:
What is coal ash?
Coal ash is made of minerals, just like those in soil and rocks. It is a gray, powdery material that is leftover after coal is burned. Coal fly ash is collected with air pollution control equipment at power plants and is often kept wet (in holding ponds) to prevent it from getting into the air.
Is exposure to coal ash likely to cause harm?
In general, coal ash may contain the following metals: aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silver, strontium, thallium, tin, titanium, vanadium, and zinc.
Exposure to coal ash can occur through contact with the skin, accidental ingestion, and inhalation.
Short-term exposure to coal ash is unlikely to have any adverse health effects. In addition, we do not expect any long-term exposure to result from this spill. VDH is working with federal, state, and local agencies to evaluate available sampling data and keep residents informed.
Is my drinking water safe?
At this time, water results indicate that Danville’s drinking water meets drinking water standards. If you have a private well and live in Virginia, please consult with Southside Health District at (434) 799-5190. If you live in North Carolina and are concerned about your drinking water, please contact the Public Information Officer for N.C. Department of Water Resources at (919) 707-9014.
Is the Dan River safe to use for recreation?
VDH has not yet evaluated river water data for recreational safety. Until our evaluation is complete, VDH recommends exercising caution when using the Dan River for recreational purposes (boating, fishing, and kayaking). Direct contact with coal ash may cause skin irritation. Avoid contact with submerged or floating ash and if ash is contacted, wash off with soap and water.
Is it safe to eat fish from the Dan River?
VDH has an existing fish consumption advisory in place for the Dan River due to PCBs and mercury from historical activities not related to the recent coal ash spill. Do not eat flathead catfish greater than 32 inches, and do not consume more than two fish meals per month for several other fish species. Additional information on fish consumption advisories is available at: www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/dee/PublicHealthToxicology/Advisories/
What is VDH doing to protect my health?
Several VDH offices, including the Office of Drinking Water and the Office of Epidemiology, will continue to work together to assess sampling results and determine if there are any risks to Virginia residents.
Whom do I contact with questions?
Contact VDH’s Danville Field Office for the Office of Drinking Water at (434) 836-8416 with drinking water concerns. Contact VDH’s Division of Environmental Epidemiology at (804) 864-8111 with questions about coal ash or health effects.
Duke Energy promises to fix Dan River after coal ash leak
By Amanda Lehmert amanda.lehmert@news-record.com | Posted: Friday, February 7, 2014 1:48 pmUpdated 12:49 a.m.
EDEN — Duke Energy crews have plugged the leak that has allowed coal ash to spill into the Dan River for five days, a company official said Friday.
The fix is only a temporary solution. Crews still plan to excavate the coal ash storage pit and permanently close off the stormwater pipe that failed Sunday, sending an estimated 82,000 tons of toxic ash into the adjacent river.
Paul Newton, Duke’s North Carolina utility operations president, apologized to Danville, Va., officials for the spill and said the company would do whatever was necessary to fix the river.
“You have our complete, 100 percent commitment to do it right,” Newton said. “We are accountable and we will make it right.”
The ash is what’s left after coal is burned. It was stored in pits beside the decommissioned Duke Energy Dan River Steam Station in Eden along the bank of the river.
State regulators took water samples 1 mile and 7 miles downstream from the spill Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The samples tested positive for trace amounts of heavy metals and other contaminants. The levels were within the state’s surface water safety standards, meaning it was safe for boating or aquatic life.
“What we are looking at is river health. It does protect for human health and aquatic health, but the standards are different (from drinking water safety standards) because you normally don’t dip a cup into river water and drink it,” said Susan Massengale, spokeswoman for the state’s division of water quality.
The state found lead and arsenic levels above the stricter federal safe drinking water levels in a downriver sample taken Monday, according to test results.
Environmental groups found even higher levels of arsenic and lead closer to the spill site.
Newton said the company will continue to sample the water indefinitely.
Duke engineers and work crews have worked since Sunday to stop the leak in the stormwater pipe that was beneath one of the storage basins.
They used sandbags and rocks to plug the pipe and a pump to syphon water out of it. No more coal ash is seeping into the river from the pipe, Newton said.
Newton said the company will work with environmental regulators to determine what, if any, type of cleanup may have to be done on the river.
“It’s just too early to know what needs to be done,” Newton said.
Massengale said Duke could be asked to dredge up the coal ash that is coating the bottom of the river. Or the ash could be allowed to stay in place and eventually be covered up by sediment.
The state has not begun to assess the spill’s impact on the river bed.
Massengale suggested that residents limit their access to the river as a precaution.
Updated 8:08 p.m.
EDEN — Water samples taken Monday and Tuesday from the Dan River show high levels for copper, iron and aluminum both upstream and downstream of the coal ash leak, according to a news release.
Also, samples collected Monday and Tuesday revealed that arsenic levels exceeded a state standard for surface water quality, according to the release from the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Levels of arsenic decreased at the two downstream sampling points between Monday and Tuesday morning, the release said.
Friday’s results show the level of copper, iron and aluminum upstream and downstream of the spill exceeded state surface water standards, but those levels were far greater downstream than upstream, the release states.
The state is continuing water quality sampling upstream and downstream of the spill and started collecting sediment samples from the bottom of the Dan River at the site of the spill from a coal ash pond at Duke Energy's closed steam station in Eden.
The state agency will be releasing results of tests conducted in the wake of the spill as they are available, the release said.
“This analysis is the first step in a process to accurately characterize any impacts from the spill to the Dan River and determine appropriate action going forward,” said Tom Reeder, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources. “We hope to see these levels continue to decrease as mitigation efforts progress.”
The department has set up a website featuring information about the coal ash spill discovered on Sunday, www.ncdenr.gov, click on the “Dan River Spill” tab.
Check back at news-record.com for updates.
Posted 1:48 p.m.
EDEN — Duke Energy crews have plugged the leak that has allowed coal ash to spill into the Dan River for five days, a company official said Friday.
The fix is only a temporary solution. Crews still plan to excavate the coal ash storage pit and permanently close off the stormwater pipe that failed Sunday, sending an estimated 82,000 tons of toxic ash into the adjacent river.
Paul Newton, Duke’s North Carolina utility operations president, apologized to Danville, Va., officials for the spill and said the company would do whatever was necessary to fix the river.
“You have our complete, 100 percent commitment to do it right,” Newton said. “We are accountable and we will make it right.”
The ash is what’s left over after coal is burned. It was stored beside the decommissioned Duke Energy Dan River Steam Station in Eden on the banks of the river.
State regulators took water samples one mile and seven miles downstream from the spill Monday and Tuesday of this week.
The samples tested positive for trace amounts of heavy metals and other contaminants. The levels were within the state’s surface water safety standards, meaning it was safe for boating or aquatic life.
“What we are looking at is river health. It does protect for human health and aquatic health, but the standards are different (from drinking water safety standards) because you normally don’t dip a cup into river water and drink it,” said Susan Massengale, spokeswoman for the state’s division of water quality.
The state found lead and arsenic above the stricter federal safe drinking water levels in a down river sample taken Monday, according to test results.
Environmental groups found even higher levels of arsenic and lead closer to the spill site.
Newton said the company will continue to sample the water indefinitely.
Duke engineers and work crews have worked since Sunday to stop the leak in the stormwater pipe that was located beneath one of the storage pits.
They used sand bags and rocks to plug the pipe and a pump to syphon water out of it. No more coal ash is seeping into the river from the pipe, Newton said.
Newton said the company will work with environmental regulators to determine what, if any, type of cleanup may have to be done on the river.
“It’s just too early to know what needs to be done,” Newton said.
Massengale said Duke could be asked to dredge up the coal ash that is coating the bottom of the river. Or the ash could be allowed to stay in place and eventually be covered up by sediment.
The state has not yet begun to assess the spill’s impact on the river bed.
Massengale suggested that residents limit their access to the river as a precaution.
Paul Newton, state president for Duke Energy, told city officials in Danville, Va., this afternoon that the leak into the Dan River has been stopped.
A spokesman with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said the pipe was temporarily blocked using sand bags.
Crews are still working on a way to permanently close the storm water pipe, which broke and spewed coal ash into the Dan River.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_6b8627b2-9028-11e3-b088-001a4bcf6878.html
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Dan River coal ash spill Coal ash flows into the Dan River in Eden from a Duke Energy coal ash pond. A stormwater pipe broke underneath the unlined pond, allowing the coal ash to flow into the river, which is a source of water for the city of Danville, Va. Duke Energy: We apologize
By DENICE THIBODEAU dthibodeau@registerbee.com (434) 791-7985 | Posted: Friday, February 7, 2014 8:07 pmDuke Energy officials met with members of Danville City Council and the public Friday to talk about the company’s response to the coal ash spill at the closed Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C., that has polluted the Dan River.
Paul Newton, North Carolina state president for Duke Energy, said the spill has all but stopped because water has been removed from the site and hundreds of people are working to permanently seal off the pipe. At this point, he said, only a rain storm could cause the broken pipe responsible for the leak to have any water flowing again.
Newton began his talk Friday in a packed City Council chambers by apologizing for the spill, assuring listeners that the company is “working 24 hours a day to plug that leak” and is “committed to environmental remediation … committed to making it right.”
The company originally said the pipe that failed was 48-inch reinforced concrete (a map of the area handed out to media representatives on Tuesday also said it was concrete), but when they dug up enough of the pipe to send a camera in to find the break, it was learned that two-thirds of the pipe was corrugated metal connected to reinforced concrete pipes at each end.
Newton admitted that Duke Energy dropped the ball in keeping track of the pipe, no matter how old the site is.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” Newton said. “We’re better than this.”
Vice Mayor Gary Miller said he was upset with how the situation was handled from the beginning, with the city not being given enough information during the first 24 hours to plan its own response to the break.
“We’re going to hold you accountable,” Miller said. “We are counting on you to fix the ecosystem.”
Newton fielded questions for more than an hour, answering concerns ranging from the affect the spill could have on fish and animals to requests for a timeline showing when the river would return to normal and how that would be accomplished, to providing a list of the chemicals and metals the company is testing for in the river.
Newton said a timeline isn’t possible yet because the company — with the Environmental Protection Agency, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and other North Carolina, Virginia and federal agencies — needs to assess the impact of the spill and work out a remediation plan.
Andrew Lester, executive director of the Roanoke River Basin Association, questioned how water samples are being collected and tested. Newton said Duke Energy is not the only group testing water — that various federal and state agencies, as well as Danville Utilities and various environmental groups, are all collecting samples independently to assure themselves that the treated drinking water in Danville and South Boston is safe to use (Eden, N.C., does not get its drinking water from the affected part of the river).
Waters tests have come back showing Danville’s treated water is safe, falling well within public drinking water requirements, but some private environmental groups are questioning whether enough testing for enough different possible contaminants are being made at enough places and depths of the river to give an full picture of potential problems.
Appalachian Voices on Friday said their raw water samples taken close to the spill site showed very high levels of arsenic, aluminum, iron, manganese and lead.
The group did, however, say tests done at the Danville water treatment plant seem to support the findings that the water is safe to drink.
“The testing results so far indicate that downstream drinking water supplies are safe, but there are likely to be major ecological impacts from this spill,” Appalachian Voices said in a news release. “Also, there are numerous, potentially harmful pollutants that have not been tested for … Other contaminants that have turned up in the samples, such as boron, vanadium and molybdenum, do not have standards, which does not mean they won’t impact aquatic life or drinking water.”
Though this spill is small compared to the one in Tennessee in 2008 — Newton said the Eden spill is about 2 percent of the size of that ash spill — the company sees it as serious, Newton said.
“This is still a serious accident in our view,” Newton said. “It is a game-changer for our company with respect to how to manage an ash pond. … There are norms out there in the industry, but we are going to look at them differently as a result of this spill.”
Whatever the cost, the company is promising to fix environmental issues.
“We will make it right,” Newton said.
http://www.godanriver.com/news/coal-ash/duke-energy-we-apologize/article_bdfd6890-905d-11e3-bd8c-001a4bcf6878.html
