Kentucky water quality not a concern after Ohio derailment. How to test your supply

Kentucky has not observed concerning water quality readings to date following a hazardous train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, state environmental officials say.

Recent testing reports from Louisville Water, one of the major water companies serving Kentucky’s largest city, found samples with no measurable traces of butyl acrylate, a prominent chemical released during the derailment. The company collected 32 samples from the Ohio River in February to test for chemical contaminants that could have flowed downstream following the accident, which led to the spill of hazardous chemicals and a controlled release of vinyl chloride, among other chemicals.

According to Louisville Water officials, levels of butyl acrylate represent a health concern when they are measured at more than 560 parts per billion. Samples collected in late February checked in below 0.5 parts per billion.

Elsewhere in the Bluegrass State, the Northern Kentucky Water District temporarily shut off its Ohio River intake in mid-February out of precaution before sampling the waterway. Analyzed collections found no traces of butyl acrylate and low levels of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, a chemical compound commonly used in industrial applications. The water company reopened its Ohio River intake Feb. 20.

While environmental officials and water companies in the area, including Louisville Water, will continue sampling and treating waterways for chemicals in response to the Ohio spill, drinking water is not expected to be compromised.

If you’re concerned about water quality in your area, here’s what you need to know.

Water testing resources in Kentucky

Kentucky’s Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) says homeowners who use private wells or cisterns are encouraged to have their water tested each year. Private well water quality is not regulated at the state or federal level, but resources are available to help homeowners.

The Environmental Protection Agency maintains a dedicated website for owners of private drinking water wells. Available resources and guides cover getting your well tested, identifying potential contamination and preventing well pollution, among other topics.

Kentucky’s environmental officials annually publish and update a running list of certified laboratories that can test private wells for bacteria and other contaminants. The DEP’s Division of Water can also provide a list of labs that test irrigation water. To inquire, call 502-564-3410.

Information regarding Kentucky’s 400-plus public water systems is available through Drinking Water Watch, an online database monitored and maintained by the state’s environmental agency. The database, accessible at dep.gateway.ky.gov/DWW, logs background information for public water systems, including sample reports, site visits, collection schedules, points of contact and more.

In compliance with the Clean Water Act, Kentucky’s water standards are available in detail online. These figures, while possibly complex to the average Kentucky resident, set safety benchmarks that environmental officials monitor to detect anomalies in the state’s water supply.

Kentucky officials, agencies monitor water quality after Ohio derailment. What to know

Finding water quality reports

While private wells are largely unregulated, Kentucky’s public waterways are routinely tested to ensure compliance with EPA standards. Most major water companies in the state release annual reports.

Louisville Water Co., for example, mails its annual water quality report to its customers by July 1 every year, according to its website. The Northern Kentucky Water District, meanwhile, publishes an annual water quality report online and mails reports to consumers upon request.

Kentucky American Water maintains a running list of water quality reports for several locations within its service area, including Ford Hampton, Lexington and Millersburg. You can look up information for your area by entering your ZIP code into an online form and browsing available reports.

The company’s reports are issued annually to align with state recommendations.

Kentucky American Water does not use the Ohio River as a water source and, as a result, is not expected to see impacts from the Ohio train derailment.

The EPA’s website houses an online directory to helps consumers find their local water quality reports. Enter the name of your water system to yield the best search results.

Interpreting your water quality report

While water quality reports can vary between companies and laboratories, they generally provide information on the same topics, including sources, regulated contaminants, potential health effects and contaminant levels.

Water quality reports, sometimes called consumer confidence reports, typically feature a data table that measures your water’s contaminants and lists notable criteria. As defined by the EPA, these commonly include:

• Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): If the value in this column is below your sample’s MCLG, there is no known or expected risk to your health.

• Maximum Residual Disinfection Level Goal (MRDLG): If the value in this column is below your sample’s MRDLG, there is no known or expected risk to your health.

• Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): If the value in this column is above your sample’s MCL, your water system is in violation of EPA regulations.

• Treatment Technique (TT): This describes a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

• Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): This describes the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in your drinking water. A certain amount of disinfectant can help control germs and microbes in water.

• Your Water: Similarly labeled columns would show the highest level of a given contaminant found in your water sample.

• Range detected: A “range” in this column refers to the highest and lowest levels at which contaminants were detected in your water sample.

• Violation: If applicable, this column will show if a contaminant present in your drinking water is above the levels allowed by the EPA.

Have questions about your water quality report? Reach out to your local laboratory or call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 for assistance at the federal level.

Do you have a question about the environment in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.