Published in the Asbury Park Press
By PATRICIA A. MILLER
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Water that customers of United Water Toms River have been drinking for the past three years is in most respects "typical" of ground water found in southern New Jersey community-based supplies, a state health department official said last night.
That was the conclusion reached after an intensive state and federal study of United Water Toms River's system, between March 1996, when the state health department first confirmed higher rates of some childhood cancers in Dover Township, and June 1999.
"The amount of scrutiny applied to this water system has not been done in this state and perhaps anywhere else," said Dr. Jerald A. Fagliano, a state epidemiologist.
"The findings reached tonight confirm that our water meets all the Safe Drinking Water Act guidelines developed by the state and federal government," said Richard Henning, United Water spokesman.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the current quality of the drinking water supply and to determine if there were any characteristics that were unique to Dover Township and of aid to ongoing epidemiological studies of childhood cancers diagnosed in the area.
"It does not determine the cause of disease in a community public health consultation," Fagliano said.
What is unique about the United Water Toms River system was the 1996 discovery of styrene-acrylonitrile trimer, a byproduct of plastics manufacturing, in wells 26, 28 and 29 at United Water's well field near the Garden State Parkway, he said.
Researchers do not know just when the trimer, a component of the plume of groundwater contamination that leached into the parkway well field from the nearby Reich Farm Superfund site, entered the public water system, Fagliano said.
"Although little is presently known of the SAN trimer's toxicological characteristics, past exposure to parkway well field water should be considered in epidemiological investigations of childhood cancer in the area," according to the report.
"At present, the public health implications of past SAN trimer contamination cannot be determined since very little is known about its toxicological properties," the report states.
United United Water Toms River services 85,000 customers in Dover Township, South Toms River and portions of Berkeley.
The study involved more than 20 United Water wells, eight points of entry, 21 private and public schools and eight hydrants. United Water Toms River wells draw from the Kirkwood-Cohansey, Piney Point and Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifers.
Most water systems are tested for about 80 chemical compounds, but the Toms River study involved testing for 250 to 300 substances, Fagliano said.
"We subjected this water to a far wider amount of chemicals than is normally done," he said.
Tricholoroethylene, a volatile organic compound, was found in several school samples in March 1996, at levels below the maximum contaminant levels of 1 microgram per liter.
The chemical was traced to "sporadic contamination" of parkway well 29, which has been affected by the Reich Farm plume when it has been pumped at higher than average levels.
United Water installed an aeration system on parkway wells 26 and 28 in 1988, after trichloroethylene was discovered in both wells. Such as system frees the water of volatile compounds.
When the SAN trimer was discovered in November 1996, United Water voluntarily shut down the parkway well field. Carbon filters were later installed on wells 26 and 28, and the treated water is now being discharged into the ground.
In June 1999, carbon filters were also installed on wells 29 and 22 in the well field to protect against sporadic or potential contamination.
Source: Asbury Park Press
Published: November 16, 1999
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