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ENLARGE
Dave Koop, water operations foreman for the Town of Frisco, takes a water sample from a well at the Frisco peninsula Monday afternoon. Traces of Ethylene Dibromide have been found in the water from the 185 ft. deep well which was dug two years ago.
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ENLARGE
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FRISCO — Traces of pollution in a relatively new well on the Frisco peninsula could help spur the Town to study the idea of a source water protection plan.
“It’s very important that we protect the integrity of our water supply,” said Frisco Town Councilmember Tom Looby, who has been advocating the plan for several years. “Our groundwater is our insurance policy,” Looby said.
The toxic chemical found in the water is called ethylene dibromide (EDB) and has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. It was used as an additive in leaded gasoline and as a soil and grain fumigant until it was banned by the EPA about 20 years ago. According to an EPA fact sheet, EDB is still used in the treatment of felled logs for bark beetles and termites.
The concentrations of EDB found in well number 7 are very low, at .27 parts per billion, but exceed EPA limits.
Town officials said the contamination doesn’t pose any threat to the Town’s existing drinking water supply.
“Nobody is losing any sleep over this ... but it is a headache,” said Town manager Michael Penny. The well is not connected to the Town’s water supply and there is “no issue” of being to provide adequate potable water, Penny said.
“We haven’t found that substance anywhere else in town,” said public works director Tim Mack.
Dave Koop, the Town’s water operations foreman, said the pollution may stem from historic pine beetle treatments in the area.
“The last time it was used was 20 years ago,” Koop said, explaining that EDB is described as having a 20-year lifespan before it breaks down to undetectable levels in the environment.
“There has not been anything to say it’s coming from the Forest Service,” Penny said.
But by process of elimination, past use of the chemical against pine beetles seems to be the most likely source, Koop said.
“It looks like the tree spraying was the most likely cause,” Koop said.
It’s not clear exactly how much of the aquifer is polluted or how far the chemical has spread from the site of the well. Koop said tests of water from the nearby Forest Service Peak One campground didn’t show any traces of EDB.
The most recent samples from the well in question were taken Nov. 5, with results expected back in a couple of weeks, he said.
Koop said that, as a water system operator, he’s particularly interested in the technical aspects of the testing and how it relates to potential heath risks.
“Ten years ago, very few labs could measure parts per billion,” he said. “Are we testing because we can? What’s the payback, and what’s the health risk,” he said.
Two other Town wells at the far west end of Main Street were contaminated by leaks from underground storage tanks at a former gas station about 20 years ago.
A source water protection plan wouldn’t necessarily prevent the type of pollution found at the well on the peninsula, but could help the Town develop a strategy to protect its supply from future threats, said Looby.
“Looking ahead 10 to 20 years, it could help prevent this type of thing from happening,” Looby said. “I think it’s a related example of what can happen when you don’t have these kinds of things in place,” he said. “We need to have a review of the current status of our water supplies,” he added.
If the pollution at the peninsula well is definitively linked to historic pine beetle treatments, it could eventually raise questions about the current use of pesticides to protect trees in Frisco and elsewhere around the county.
The most common chemicals used to prevent pine beetle infestations have been deemed safe under current standards when used properly.
But as Koop pointed out, EDB was also considered safe 20 years ago.
“This stuff was OK to use at one time,” he said. “Anything that goes on the ground, you’re looking at a cause and effect.”
Based on a discussion at the Town Council’s budget retreat, the Town may study the idea of a source water protection plan at an upcoming work session.
<I> Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com. </I>
“It’s very important that we protect the integrity of our water supply,” said Frisco Town Councilmember Tom Looby, who has been advocating the plan for several years. “Our groundwater is our insurance policy,” Looby said.
The toxic chemical found in the water is called ethylene dibromide (EDB) and has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency. It was used as an additive in leaded gasoline and as a soil and grain fumigant until it was banned by the EPA about 20 years ago. According to an EPA fact sheet, EDB is still used in the treatment of felled logs for bark beetles and termites.
The concentrations of EDB found in well number 7 are very low, at .27 parts per billion, but exceed EPA limits.
Town officials said the contamination doesn’t pose any threat to the Town’s existing drinking water supply.
“Nobody is losing any sleep over this ... but it is a headache,” said Town manager Michael Penny. The well is not connected to the Town’s water supply and there is “no issue” of being to provide adequate potable water, Penny said.
“We haven’t found that substance anywhere else in town,” said public works director Tim Mack.
Dave Koop, the Town’s water operations foreman, said the pollution may stem from historic pine beetle treatments in the area.
“The last time it was used was 20 years ago,” Koop said, explaining that EDB is described as having a 20-year lifespan before it breaks down to undetectable levels in the environment.
“There has not been anything to say it’s coming from the Forest Service,” Penny said.
But by process of elimination, past use of the chemical against pine beetles seems to be the most likely source, Koop said.
“It looks like the tree spraying was the most likely cause,” Koop said.
It’s not clear exactly how much of the aquifer is polluted or how far the chemical has spread from the site of the well. Koop said tests of water from the nearby Forest Service Peak One campground didn’t show any traces of EDB.
The most recent samples from the well in question were taken Nov. 5, with results expected back in a couple of weeks, he said.
Koop said that, as a water system operator, he’s particularly interested in the technical aspects of the testing and how it relates to potential heath risks.
“Ten years ago, very few labs could measure parts per billion,” he said. “Are we testing because we can? What’s the payback, and what’s the health risk,” he said.
Two other Town wells at the far west end of Main Street were contaminated by leaks from underground storage tanks at a former gas station about 20 years ago.
A source water protection plan wouldn’t necessarily prevent the type of pollution found at the well on the peninsula, but could help the Town develop a strategy to protect its supply from future threats, said Looby.
“Looking ahead 10 to 20 years, it could help prevent this type of thing from happening,” Looby said. “I think it’s a related example of what can happen when you don’t have these kinds of things in place,” he said. “We need to have a review of the current status of our water supplies,” he added.
If the pollution at the peninsula well is definitively linked to historic pine beetle treatments, it could eventually raise questions about the current use of pesticides to protect trees in Frisco and elsewhere around the county.
The most common chemicals used to prevent pine beetle infestations have been deemed safe under current standards when used properly.
But as Koop pointed out, EDB was also considered safe 20 years ago.
“This stuff was OK to use at one time,” he said. “Anything that goes on the ground, you’re looking at a cause and effect.”
Based on a discussion at the Town Council’s budget retreat, the Town may study the idea of a source water protection plan at an upcoming work session.
<I> Bob Berwyn can be reached at (970) 331-5996, or at bberwyn@summitdaily.com. </I>
The dangers of ethylene dibromide:
Exposure to ethylene dibromide primarily occurs from its past use as an additive to leaded gasoline and as a fumigant. Ethylene dibromide is extremely toxic to humans. The chronic (long-term) effects of exposure to ethylene dibromide have not been well documented in humans. Animal studies indicate that chronic exposure to ethylene dibromide may result in toxic effects to the liver, kidney, and the testis, irrespective of the route of exposure. Limited data on men occupationally exposed to ethylene dibromide indicate that long-term exposure to ethylene dibromide can impair reproduction by damaging sperm cells in the testicles. Several animal studies indicate that long-term exposure to ethylene dibromideincreases the incidences of a variety of tumors in rats and mice in both sexes by all routes of exposure.
EPA has classified ethylene dibromide as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen.
For more information on ethylene dibromide, visit the EPA’s fact sheet at:
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/ethyl-di.html
