Delaware River Samples Clear Of Contaminants & Water Remains Safe, Latest Tests Show

More than 100 samples taken along the Delaware River in the wake of Friday night’s chemical spill have returned results showing that the water is safe, according to multiple government agencies and private water companies.

The large number of samples taken since the spill of at least 8,100 gallons and up to 12,000 gallons of a latex-related chemical have not found detectable levels of chemicals connected to the spill in the river, which provides drinking water for millions. The tests have been taken by the Philadelphia Water Department, other local water authorities and companies, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to a statement.

Bucks County government officials said they also received word samples collected at several locations near drinking water intakes showed the river water was safe.

“Bucks County Emergency Management Agency has monitored the spill mitigation and cleanup efforts since the chemical release was first reported late Friday and remains in close contact with the water providers in the affected area, as well as federal, state and local partners. County EMA remains at the scene with state and federal officials,” the county statement said.

Aqua Pennsylvania, which operates an intake just upstream from the spill in Bristol Borough, closed their intakes after the incident was reported Friday night.

The company said on Tuesday that teams have begun to open the intakes at times during low tide when all the river water is moving downstream.

“Our Bristol Plant is upstream of the confluence of the spill, which gives us added flexibility. While we continue to test the river water through our lab with highly specialized analysis equipment, we also perform other operational tests as we’ve begun turning on the plant when the tide moves downstream. And we monitor the tide and shut down the plant when it begins to move upstream,” Aqua officials said in a statement.

“Aqua’s immediate actions protected our customers from any exposure to the chemicals spilled into the Delaware River,” said company spokesperson Sarah Courtright. “Our drinking water continues to be clean, safe, and reliable – it remains unaffected by the March 25th incident. Our interconnected water systems in the area gave us the flexibility to move water from other Aqua locations that do not source water from the Delaware River to provide a back-up supply to our Bristol system when and as it was needed.”

The Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority, the Township of Falls Authority, the Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority, Newtown Artesian Water Company, Aqua, and Pennsylvania American Water have all found their water supply to be not contaminated with spill chemicals.

The Philadelphia Water Department, which has intakes about seven miles downstream from the spill, said Tuesday evening that hydraulic modeling of the river showed the “potential threat” is passing. The modeling accounted for recent rain that added flow to the Delaware River.

“No further advisory will be needed,” city officials said.

The chemical spill happened at the Trinseo Altuglas facility on the Dow Chemical property off Veterans Highway (Route 413) in Bristol Township. A burst pipe, according to officials, led to the chemicals spilling into the Otter Creek and then into the Delaware River. The solution was 50 percent water and 50 percent a latex polymer made up of butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and methyl methacrylate monomer.

Trinseo Altuglas, which employs 110 people at their Bristol Township facility, said they alerted officials of the spill and immediately began work to mitigate it.

As of Monday, contractors continued to clean and monitor the spill site. County, state, and federal authorities remained on the scene.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Bucks County Special Operations Team have been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to respond to the spill.

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