After returning more water quality testing results from the weekend and Monday, the Town of Pittsboro continues to say it is “cautiously optimistic” about its contamination from a recent chemical release.

A concentrated amount, or “slug,” of 1,4 Dioxane released into the Haw River led Pittsboro’s water plant to stop drawing water from its main resource and instead run on the “minimum amount” needed on Thursday. Rapid tests taken over the weekend after receiving an alert from the City of Burlington about the chemical were not processed until Monday. In those weekend results, Pittsboro reported a low, traceable concentration in its composite water samples and Monday’s tests revealed similar levels in its finished water grab samples.

A release from the town Monday night said based on those levels, officials and water quality staff believe Pittsboro “successfully maintained [the] water supply while limiting the uptake of the substance.”

“Further,” Pittsboro’s release continued, “it appears the slug of 1,4 dioxane has passed by the Town, the portion that made it into our system is decreasing, and any remaining 1,4 dioxane is likely heavily diluted or moved downstream from the heavy rain over the weekend. During the next few days, tank concentrations may increase and decrease. This variation is expected as finished water at a higher concentration mixes with existing water within the tanks. These numbers will change based on the concentration of 1,4 dioxane in the finished water, moving upwards or downwards based on this number, but the focus is on the raw and finished water concentrations decreasing over time.”

Monday’s release said town officials would be in contact with Burlington officials on Tuesday to see whether the city — whose wastewater treatment plant was the source of the 1,4 dioxane — is similarly seeing decreases in their effluent. Pairing those results with continued testing results from the Haw River and Pittsboro’s water plant will lead to the town returning its water intake to normal levels in the coming days.

Until then, however, the town government said it will still be “only pulling minimal water from the Haw River until [it is] sure this event” is over. Pittsboro continued to ask its residents and water customers to reduce or eliminate non-essential water uses and suggested residents who need treated water get some from free at the Chatham Marketplace at 480 Hillsboro Street. People who bring their own bottles and jugs can fill them up with reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light filtered water for free. The Chatham Marketplace’s hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

 

Photo via the Chatham News + Record.

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