FEDS AGREE: Too Much Arsenic In Tennessee Coal Spill Water

KINGSTON, Tenn. — Federal data shows arsenic levels more than 100 times the acceptable amount in a river near a massive coal ash spill in East Tennessee.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said water samples from near the spill were above federal maximums for contaminants. Data released Friday showed total arsenic levels in one sample were 149 times the maximum level.

The data also showed that samples taken near the Kingston water treatment plant _ which is upstream from the spill site _ were found to be within the federal limits, except for thallium.

A retention pond burst at the Kingston Steam Plant last month, spreading more than a billion gallons of sludge. The plant is run by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation's largest government-owned utility.

Comments

[DianeTreehugger]

I'll believe that water is safe to drink, and that land safe to live on, and any crops grown on that land safe to eat when the TVA authorities put their money where their mouth is and drink that water, raise their children on that land, and eat crops from that land themselves. Otherwise, they are Bush administration zombies and are lying through their teeth.

[otherpath]

Do you live anywhere near Kingston? I sincerely doubt it. I do. On the lake approx 1/2 mi downstream from the spill. I drink well water, tested and no contamination. You're flaming scientists and refuse to listen to anyone not agreeing with your viewpoint. The spill was a giant mud slide, any toxicity was due to the volume and is not life threatening, nature will dissapate any problems by spring rains. The most serious problem it generated was silting of the river and significant reduction of the water depth. I've grown up with this lake, listened to people (typically from other parts of the country) slam TVA and the govt nuclear plants my entire life. And in each case, they've been following all applicable laws and regulations. And I can remember people claiming toxic fish, they tested commercially caught and imported fish purchased in the local grocery store which had far higher levels of any toxins. I live there, don't plan on moving, and anyone on the lake that is scared, worried, or too distraught to live there anymore, I'll gladly buy their place.

[ashabot]

Bush siding with HARD SCIENCE?!?! Why I never.....

[cylindar]

The government likes to lie and cover things up most of the time. Too bad because peoples lives are in danger. I guess they just don't care. Is this the kind of government we want to owe allegience to?

[mamacat]

It is not just the Tennessee coal water that has too much arsenic.
Arsenic is a byproduct of the burning of coal, both in what goes into the air, and what goes into the water. It is one more consequence of using coal for power and heating, and another reason to try to get off of fossil fuels in general. We may have to use them for a long time to come, but we need to start the process of stopping their use, unless we want to continue to increase the amount of poisons in our air, food, and water.

[Thermodynamics]

Why didn't we get this arsenic data from the TVA?
The TVA is protecting its own reputation at the expense of the public. The top management should all be replaced. They have the wrong priorities. The fix is in.

I want to know how much mercury is in the big bass caught in each TVA lake. I want numbers, not an "advisory". Six years ago at least some of the bass tissue mercury numbers were too high, comparable to the dark, high-content tuna. There are numerous TVA lakes. This information has been suppressed. You cannot find it anymore.

Lots of people fish in Lake Guntersville. Tell us the numbers for Guntersville.

[elizaconnors]

The EPA TRI data for this facility is a good place to start.

http://oaspub.epa.gov/enviro/tris_control.tris_print?tris_id=37763STVKNSWANP

Note, that the facility did not report emissions of Thallium.

[eus]

What about wildlife that drink the water and forage on polluted plants. I'll bet it wont be safe to eat wild game from anywhere near there for a few years.

[wadenelson1]

>Officials say water in municipal systems is safe to drink—for now.

That's what they were saying just 2 days ago.

Bottom line is you cannot trust YOUR government to give you the truth in almost any situation. You've got to find out for yourself what the truth is.

I quit trusting the government in the middle of a Walter Cronkite CBS News broadcast after seeing the daily body count and realized....if we were kililng that many VC every single day the war would already be over. I was, I dunno, 9, 10 years old at the time.

Nixon lying about not being involved in Watergate sealed my conviction that governments are not to be trusted.

Whether it's 9-11, WMD, or coal ash, you've got to judge for yourself and not listen to self-serving public officials.

[mamacat]

I remember when LBJ was saying that bases in Thailand would never be used in the Vietnam War, while the L A Times was reporting that the USAF was building bases in that country with the extra-long runways required by B-52 bombers. That was back in the day when the media were not so afraid to contradict the president.