Gloucester
County, Virginia public water customers, located in two different areas of the County’s
public drinking water distribution system, received notice with their September first water bill that excessive levels of disinfection byproducts
(DBP’s) had been detected. What are DBP’s you ask; DBPs form when disinfectants
such as chlorine, chloramines, chlorine dioxide or ozone react with organic and
inorganic substances present in raw water. Sound complicated? Well it is, so we
will keep this as down to earth and simple as we can.
The DBP
identified in the notice, Trihalomethanes (THM), are not good. In fact, if
consumed over extended periods of time or in large enough quantities, THM’s can
cause numerous health issues. According to the not very informative notice Utilities sent to affected
customers; some people who consume THM’s for an extended period of time can
develop liver, kidney and central nervous system problems and may have an
increased risk of getting cancer. A clinical and epidemiological review
published by the National Institutes of Health says THM’s from chlorinated
water have been associated with spontaneous abortion, low birth weight and
birth defects. Some studies suggest exposure to chlorine vapors, including THMs,
especially while showering, bathing or working in Gloucester’s surface water
treatment plant may lead to asthma, other respiratory disorders and may harm the
lining of the respiratory tract.
For the most
part, THM’s are not noticeable to the average person and without mandatory testing
we would likely hear even less about them. There are ways you can protect
yourself from THM’s. The best and most effective method of eliminating THM’s
and many other harmful elements found in public water systems is a whole home
filtration system. These systems filter all the water that enters the building
to include showers and outside faucets. A less aggressive method of getting rid
of THM’s are individual facet/sink filters. These are great to get rid of the
junk in the water you drink and cook with, but do nothing to get rid of the
stuff in the shower. Boiling water for 5 minutes or longer will also eliminate
THM’s from your water, but be sure not to breath the steam.
The DBP notice
from Utilities asks each customer to share the information provided with all
other people who drink the affected water. I wonder if the York River Oyster
Company restaurant is notifying their customers and if Gloucester Point Baptist
Church is notifying its members, as they are both connected to the Terrapin
Cove Road waterline that tested high in THM’s. The other location where high
levels of THM’s were detected is on Clopton Drive in Gloucester County.
We cannot
speak for the customers on or near Clopton Drive, but we know with absolute
certainty that this is not the only time the waterline along Terrapin Cove Road
has been found to contain high levels of THM’s. We also know with certainty
that water containing excessive levels of THM’s was most likely consumed for
years at T.C. Walker and Achilles schoolhouses and possibly at Gloucester High
School. Wonder if that has anything to do with the increased number of school
employees being diagnosed with cancer over the last few years. It is time to
stop kicking the dirty water can down the road, but it does not look like the
elected and hired people in our local government plan do anything to repair our
neglected infrastructure anytime soon. Remember that when you vote this November.
Here is Gloucester County’s High DBP level
notice:
