DEQ quizzed on vinyl chloride in water

• Advocate Westside bureau
• Published: Apr 10, 2008 - Page: 5B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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PLAQUEMINE — Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality officials conducting a public hearing Tuesday night were peppered with questions about the source of vinyl chloride contamination in part of the Plaquemine aquifer.

DEQ officials told questioners in the audience of about 20 people they, too, want to know, but said identifying a culprit is not their first priority.

Administrator Tom Harris of DEQ’s Environmental Technology Division said his agency’s first priority is keeping watch over the presence of vinyl chloride in groundwater and making sure it never reaches water wells that supply the public.

Harris added that, ultimately, his agency does want to identify whoever is responsible for the contamination.

“We want this project to be paid for with private funds, not public funds,” he added.

The problem came to light in 1997, although residents of Myrtle Grove Trailer Park were not notified of the problem until 2001 in what state officials called “an unfortunate mistake.”

Residents moved out and the trailer park closed. Other people live in the area now, but rely on the Plaquemine water system, not the aquifer.

Dow Chemical, which processes vinyl chloride at a nearby plant, agreed to cooperate with DEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in ensuring groundwater safety, without any assignment of blame.

Harris said Tuesday’s public hearing was held to receive public input in seeking “a final solution” to the contaminated aquifer problem.

“Maybe someone out there has an idea or a question we haven’t thought of,” he said.

DEQ also has been receiving written input, and plans to continue to do so until April 23.

The agency is monitoring a large plume of groundwater with a low concentration of vinyl chloride.

Harris said the plume does not affect wells that give Plaquemine its water, and added he does not expect it to do so in the future.