Barstow water crisis continues

The water supplier to the desert city of Barstow continued flushing out its water system late Saturday to rid pipes of the hazardous contaminant perchlorate, which was discovered in the drinking water supply on Thursday.

The flushing process by Golden State Water Co. caused minor flooding in some parts of the Mojave Desert town, and had city officials scrambling to make sure that the municipal sewage system wouldn’t be overwhelmed, said City Councilman Tim Saenz.

Meanwhile, state health officials continued their warning to residents not to use tap water to drink, prepare food or brush their teeth. Four drive-through water distribution centers were set up around town to provide free bottled water to all those in need.

“We have to deal with it. It’s an unfortunate situation," Saenz said as he helped volunteers handing out water at Barstow Community College on Saturday night. “Our priority is the public’s safety and public’s health.’’

Perchlorate, a type of salt derived from perchloric acid, has been found in drinking water in at least 35 states. It can interfere with iodine uptake in the thyroid gland. The thyroid, which releases hormones, helps with proper development in children and helps regulate metabolism.

The contamination prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency Saturday.

According to the governor’s declaration, more than 40,000 customers were without their normal supply of drinking water, and several restaurants, hotels and other businesses had to close because of the contamination.

Officials at Golden State Water Co. still have not told the city when the water supply may be declared safe again, but expect it will be within days, Saenz said.

Most  Barstow residents said they’ve been able to adjust to depending on bottled water, though some expressed doubts about assurances from health officials that the tap water was safe for bathing.

“I have grandchildren and elderly parents I’m taking care of. I’m not sure I want to risk it," said Eben Heffernan, 44, a carpenter from Barstow who drove up in his Ford Bronco at the Barstow college to collect three gallons of bottled water. “Plus, who knows how long this chemical has been in the water. I sure don’t."

Concerns also have been heightened by mixed messages residents are receiving.

Sabrina Ellis, 29, who works in the Barstow Police Department records division, said water company representatives said the tap water was safe for washing dishes -– yet officials at the elementary school her three children attend told students not to wash their hands with the water.

“I had to run out to Wal Mart to buy a bunch of that hand-sanitizer stuff," said Ellis, one of the volunteers handing out water late Saturday night.

--Phil Willon, reporting from Barstow

Comments

[Graham]

The hands have the least absorbent skin on the body, the most absorbent is in the groin and underarm areas. A 140lb adult can absorb as much as two pints of water through their skin in a 10 minute shower. Additionally depending on the volatility of perchlorate and the temperature of the water it could be inhaled in vapor in a shower situation as well.

An article published in the American Journal of Public Health in 1984 on Volatile Organic Compound exposure in bathing water suggested that we could be exposed to between 6 and 80 times the levels in that 10 minute shower than if we drank 8 glasses of the same water.

The role of skin absorption as a route of exposure for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water.
H S Brown, D R Bishop and C A Rowan
American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 74, Issue 5 479-484, Copyright © 1984 by American Public Health Association

I certainly would not be bathing in the water in Barstow until I could confirm by independent testing possibly by watercheck.com that the this known carcinogen/mutagen was below detectable limits.

It probably got there by the same method as perchlorate got into the Otay and Miramar reservoirs in San Diego leakage of propellant from aging air to surface munitions stored at nearby military bases. Perchlorate contamination is the largest ongoing expense in the cleaning up of former DOD sites before they can be re-used.

[Boo Boo]

I wonder how long the residents have been drinking the contaminated water and what the effect will be on their current and future health.
I wonder if any politicians were given "donations" to look the other way regarding the disposing of such horrific chemicals.
Can anyone hear Erin Brokovitch ringing in their ears?
Sad what is going on in our country, it seems to only get worse never much good news.
Have a GREAT weekend ;)

[Julie]

Thanks for your post, Graham. It was mighty informative.

[Bob]

HOORAY for privitized public utilities. It's a good thing no private company would ever allow such a thing to happen as it would jeopardize their business .. right?

[Jerimy]

I wonder if this is related to the Mysterious missile that was spotted 30 miles off the coast of LA last week.

[Summersgirl]

Where does the contaminated water go? Back into the groundwater? Isn't that just adding insult to injury?

[Cindy Blankenship]

Better report than others I've seen, but can some of these questions be addressed (or maybe the Times has since done so):

Are the effects of drinking this water short term or long term and what are the symptoms? How long is the chemical suspected of being in the water system? How did it get there and how was it discovered?

I would also like to read something about how these other water systems (this news report mentions it has been found in 35 states) have dealt with the issue and how those contaminated have been effected.

Thank you