Published: June 27, 2008 10:23 pm         

IDEM investigating dam breach, possible water contamination

TERRE HAUTE — A release of polychlorinated biphenyls, aka PCBs, from a wastewater lagoon at Pfizer Inc. has state and federal officials working to determine any environmental impacts to drinking water and potential soil contamination.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management began investigating a potential release of PCB-contaminated water and soil on June 7 after Pfizer personnel reported a lagoon dam break caused by heavy rains and flooding at its facility south of Terre Haute.

Don Archambeault lives on Hultz Road, about a mile north of Pfizer. He said he learned of the dam break about a week after the flood and had his well tested.

“Our well had been underwater, so I called the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. They sent people down and took samples of the water that I had and said ‘don’t drink the water,’ because they didn’t know what was in it,” Archambeault said.

“The first test showed PCBs. We then changed filters [on the well]. Then a week later, they [IDEM] came back and took tests without the filters and everything was flushed out. They checked three different times to make sure the readings were right and got no detection of PCBs. So now the well has tested out fine,” he said.

He received the latest test results of his well Wednesday.

Further tests are being made on soil near his home, he said.

“I am still a little concerned about soil samples and samples of the creek bed. I just want to be safe and have nothing there,” Archambeault said. “Pfizer has been working with me … to be a good neighbor. I know they left, but they are trying to do what I consider the right thing.”

Pfizer began a process of dismantling that lagoon about two years ago, first with plans submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and to state officials, then dismantling work started near the end of last year, said Rick Chambers, spokesman for Pfizer.

The lagoon was to be dismantled because Pfizer had been connected to the Terre Haute Sanitary District.

“We haven’t finished that [lagoon] project, but it is under way. When the extreme flooding hit a couple of weeks ago, there was a break in a small dam alongside the lagoon that resulted in some sediment, that we suspect may be contaminated, getting into Jordan Creek,” Chambers said.

“We reported the breach to IDEM and [U.S.] EPA and took immediate steps to stop the flow. We actually installed a new dam within a day,” Chambers said. “Then we had a newly installed bypass that was part of our dismantling process that we were able to open up to keep any more flow from getting into the creek.”

Pfizer reported the breach on June 7, and a new dam was installed on June 8, Chambers said.

“We know that PCBs were commonly used in industrial paints and solvents prior to the late 1970s, so while we are not 100 percent sure we know how PCBs got into the lagoon, we do know they were commonly used in all industries prior to that time,” Chambers said.

Pfizer is working with both IDEM and the U.S. EPA to assess any impact “and take whatever actions we need to take. Those agencies are doing testing and we are doing testing and once we have some real data, we will be able to make a decision on what needs to be done,” Chambers said.

PCBs have been used in coolants and lubricants in electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment; as plasticizers that provided flexibility in paints, plastics and rubber products; in pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper; and other applications. In 1977, the manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the United States because of studies showing a number of serious health effects related to exposure to them.

Amy Hartsock, spokeswoman for IDEM, said the state “is still assessing the situation and if there were private wells underwater and people have any questions about this incident, we want them to give us a call.”

Questions concerning drinking water wells should be directed to Jim Harris with IDEM’s Drinking Water Branch, toll free at 1-800-451-6027, directly at (317) 308-3325, or via e-mail at jharris@idem.IN.gov.

Questions concerning sediments on private property or in Jordan Creek or Honey Creek should be directed to George Ritchotte with IDEM’s Office of Land Quality, toll free at 1-800-451-6027, directly at (317) 308-3123, or via e-mail at gritchot@idem.IN.gov.

More information about PCBs can be found at IDEM’s Web site at www.in.gov/idem/4545.htm.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.