Early in February, 2023 a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio caused a chemical spill. The Union Water Supply System has been monitoring this situation in order to assess any impact it may have on the UWSS source of drinking water in the western basin of Lake Erie.

The spill took place approximately 120km south of Lake Erie in an area outside the Lake Erie drainage basin, so there is no direct connection between this spill and Lake Erie. For this reason UWSS has determined that it’s quite unlikely that our water supply has been contaminated.

UWSS takes part in several research and monitoring projects for Lake Erie. These projects include government agencies, universities and water utilities in Canada and the United States. UWSS also has a contact network with government agencies and water utilities on the American side of Lake Erie.

If chemical spills and contamination to Lake Erie water were to occur, UWSS would be notified. In such a case, UWSS is ready to put its Risk Management and Contingency Plans into play. This would to reduce possible impact on the UWSS drinking water system.

UWSS is continuing to evaluate the situation in Ohio to safeguard the safety of UWSS treated drinking water.

To learn more about Ohio train derailment chemical spill check out the following links:

East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment Emergency Response

Ohio River Test Results Show No Contaminants

Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay