M68M Salt Dome Intrusion Test
Yesterday one of our employees jumped the gun and posted on his personal Facebook page his interpretation of the results we received from Pace Analytical Services detailing information about water samples taken from the Houston River Waterworks system.
We understand residents are concerned about water quality and so are we. We are posting the data report on our website as well as information from Dr. Wilma Subra, who interpreted the information for us.
The testing was done because members of the community were/are concerned about the possible impact of the collapsing Sulphur Salt Dome on our drinking water and the Chicot Aquifer. We wanted to establish a baseline sample, so next year we could test again to see if any changes had occurred.
We asked for the tests that Dr. Subra recommended. We tested for hydrocarbons, a test that is not usually done for drinking water. We got some concerning results. The test found 197 ug/l of Diesel Range Organics in the Houston River Waterworks sample.
Which means more testing needs to be done, first. As awful as the idea of diesel range organics in our water is, it may be we collected the sample from a source that was incidentally contaminated, we just don’t know. Which is why we are going to pull another set of water samples and test again.
If you are concerned about the water, have questions, or want to make suggestions on what we should do next, please attend our meeting on this topic Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Sulphur library, 5:30pm.
from Dr. Subra:
Drinking Water Samples tested by Pace Analytical Dr. Wilma Subra Analysis
Houston River Water System 7-12-24
Diesel Range Organics 197 ug/l
Di-n-butylphthalate 720 ug/l
Bromodichloromethane 3.0 ug/l
Bromoform 1.8 ug/l
Dibromochloromethane 4.1 ug/l
City of Sulphur Water System
Bromoform 2.2 ug/l
Bromodichloromethane 3.6 ug/l
Dibromochloromethane 5.5 ug/l
Health Impacts
Diesel Range Organics:
May cause cancer
Impacts liver and kidney functions
Damages to retina and causes cataracts
Irritates the skin
Leads to respiratory issues
Bromoform:
Acute Health Impacts
Irritates nose, throat and lungs
Causes coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, tremors, loss of memory, convulsions, passing out.
Chronic Health Impacts
Maybe a carcinogen in humans
Shown to cause cancer of the large intestines in animals.
Limited evidence may damage the developing fetus in animals.
Prolonged or repeated contact can cause a skin rash, redness, burning feeling.
Irritates the lungs.
Dibromochloromethane:
Liver and kidney damage
Effects brain
Causes liver and kidney exposure in animals
Causes serum chemistry changes
Fat accumulates in the liver.
Bromodichloromethane:
Probable or reasonable anticipated human carcinogen
Animal studies show it can cause tumors in liver, kidney and large intestines.
Fetal skeletal anomalies
Causes liver effects in humans
Pathetical charges in the adrenals, lung and brain.
Di-n-butyl phthalate:
Used as a plasticizer in plastics.
Irritates the eyes, nose and throat.
Causes nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache and seizures.
Can damage the liver and kidneys
May affect the nervous system.
Maybe a teratogen in humans.
May damage a developing fetus.
May harm the male reproductive system including testes.
City of Sulphur Water System
LA 1019044
Well # 10 North Plant, Ground Water
Well # 11 North Plant, Ground Water
Well # 12 Verdine Plant, Ground Water
Well # 13 Verdine Plant, Ground Water
Well # 7, Irwin, Ground Water
Louisiana Department of Health Drinking Water Watch
2023 Consumer Confidence Report
Chlorine 1.9 ppm (0.67 to 2.79 ppm)
Barium 0.29 ppm (0 – 0.29 ppm)
Fluoride 0.22 ppm (0.1 to 0.22 ppm)
Radiological Contaminants
Radium 226 & 228 0 – 0.991 pCi/l
Gross Alpha Particles 0 – 2.65 pCi/l
Gross Beta Particles 1.53 – 3.72 pCi/l
Radium 226 0 – 0.953 pCi/l
Radium 228 0-0.991 pCi/l
Copper 0.1 – 1.7 ppm
Lead 1 – 22 ppb
Total Haloacetic Acid (HAA5)
1009 Cass St. 2.4-4.2 ppb
1317 Meadow 2.6 – 4.2 ppb
1528 Weekly Rd. 1.3 – 4.8 ppb
901 Prater Rd. 5.3 – 5.9 ppb
1009 Cass St. 9.8 – 12.5 ppb
1317 Meadow 9.5 – 12 ppb
1528 Weekly Rd. 7.5 – 12.2 ppb
901 Prater Rd. 18.8 – 22.8 ppb
Treated Secondary Contaminants
Iron 0 – 0.68 mg/l
Manganese 0-0.05 mg/l
Houston River Water Works District 11 – 2023 data
LA 1019119
Source: Well #1 – South – Ground Water
Well #2 -North – Ground Water
Chlorine 0.65 – 1.26 ppm
Fluoride 0.2 ppm
Radium 226 & 228 0 – 0.684 pci/l
Gross Beta 1.65 – 1.75 pci/l
Radium 226 0-0.684 pci/l
Free Copper 0.1 – 0.7 ppm
Lead 1-6 ppb
Total Haloacetic Acid (HAA5)
2537 Hwy. 388 3.7 ppb
Fire Station Hwy 90 W 2.8 ppb
TTHM
2537 Hwy 388 11.7 ppb
Fire Station Hwy 90 W 7.7 ppb
Aluminum 0.02 mg/l – 0.03 mg/l
Chloride 22 mg/l
Iron 1.41 – 2.74 mg/l
Manganese 0.34 – 0.36 mg/l
pH 6.27 – 6.34
Sulfate 3 m/l
Iron 0 – 0.05 mg/l
This is what we live with here in Southwest Louisiana
Naphtha tanks catch on fire
And these are some of the folks fighting back!
Lake Charles residents are watching!
Click here to see the work Debra Ramirez and Lois Booker Malvo are doing to protect their neighborhood in North Lake Charles.
Where Do Most of the Emissions Come From?
Science
“US Emissions of the World’s Most Potent Greenhouse Gas Are 56 Percent Higher Than EPA Estimates, a New Study Shows.”
“Electric utilities are likely responsible for the nation’s higher than expected emissions of sulfur hexafluoride, a greenhouse gas 25,000 times worse for the climate than carbon dioxide.”
Accidents Happen
When we think about buildout of industry in our area, we need to think that accidents WILL happen, and what the effect of having so many industries so close together could mean.
https://www.csb.gov/kuraray-pasadena-release-and-fire/
Road to Hell
Plastics decompose into microscopic particles that are already in everything, including our bodies. Let’s not make it worse by putting them in our roads! Click here to learn more.
World close to ‘irreversible’ climate breakdown, warn major studies
Key UN reports published in last two days warn urgent and collective action needed – as oil firms report astronomical profits
by Damian Carrington Environment editor
The climate crisis has reached a “really bleak moment”, one of the world’s leading climate scientists has said, after a slew of major reports laid bare how close the planet is to catastrophe.
Collective action is needed by the world’s nations more now than at any point since the second world war to avoid climate tipping points, Prof Johan Rockström said, but geopolitical tensions are at a high.
He said the world was coming “very, very close to irreversible changes … time is really running out very, very fast”.
Emissions must fall by about half by 2030 to meet the internationally agreed target of 1.5C of heating but are still rising, the reports showed – at a time when oil giants are making astronomical amounts of money.
On Thursday, Shell and TotalEnergies both doubled their quarterly profits to about $10bn. Oil and gas giants have enjoyed soaring profits as post-Covid demand jumps and after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The sector is expected to amass $4tn in 2022, strengthening calls for heavy windfall taxes to address the cost of living crisis and fund the clean energy transition.
To read more, click the link below.
Boil Advisories or low water pressure
Click the link below to learn how to protect yourself and your family when there is a boil advisory or the water pressure drops.
http://www.kplctv.com/video/2022/09/03/chemist-explains-frequent-boil-advisories-how-stay-protected/
More water information ….
In Sulphur, Louisiana, where we are located, a community member had her water tested and found that there were high levels of lead in the water she was drinking. We are waiting on tests we have done to come back. Once they have this page will have more information and updates on the situation.
The water tests came back and we have so many contaminants in our water! Lead, iron, manganese, aluminum, copper – and that is what is in the water at the office (home)!
We have gone to the Sulphur City Council meetings and highlighted the issue.
Toxins in our Air
The water isn’t our only problem here in Portie Town or Southwest Louisiana. Check out the EPA Environmental Justice website here. enter your zip code. We have more work to do!
Exposure to small amounts of toxins can have a BIG IMPACT, especially over time. Click here to view a video explaining the problem
Plastic waste fraud explainer piece
https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/vDpL2izF0JZhlr9Xkk_WeTrW2xwu8R11/
