BRISTOL, Pa. - Quick actions from those in charge of a water treatment facility near a chemical spill along the Delaware River prevented the harmful toxins from entering the plant.
Health officials in Bucks County said Sunday that between 8,100 and 12,000 gallons of a water-based latex-finishing solution spilled into the river late Friday because of a burst pipe at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township.The midnight spill happened at low tide less than half a mile upstream from the AQUA Pennsylvania water treatment facility.
AQUA President Mark Lucca said by the time he heard about the spill the plant had already been shutdown thanks in part to early warning sensors that helped them decide to shut off water intake from the river. "The first thing people are asking us is ‘is my water safe to drink?’ It absolutely is safe to drink, how do we know?
Because it never got into the plant" Lucca said. RELATED COVERAGEAQUA's local water reserves were fairly high, so Bristol's water supply was never threatened.