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EAST PALESTINE – Water worries have plagued East Palestine residents since February's Norfolk Southern train derailment, chemical spill and controlled burn. On Monday, council approved preemptive measures to keep the municipal water safe by moving forward on the implementation of a carbon filter system.
The carbon filters, bought by Norfolk Southern and manufactured by Calgon, will be installed at the water treatment plant to combat any future contamination.
So far, no contamination has been detected in the water supply. Water superintendent Scott Wolfe reiterated that the water remains safe, calling the carbon filters a proactive move.
"The purchasing of the carbon filters in no way, shape or form means that our water is bad. This is completely a contingency that was brought to us by the EPA," he said. "We don't know what the future brings for our water, but we know that carbon is the thing to put into place. This puts us way ahead of the curve and is a preventative measure."
Councilman Douglas Simpson echoed Wolfe's words.
"I want to stress that the water is completely safe here, but we decided to be proactive instead of proactive," he said. "This way we put something in place before it happens and if it even happens."
Wolfe reported that water testing will continue weekly and that the carbon filters were the direction the village was headed before the derailment. The rail disaster merely expedited the process. The filters, which comply with the new federal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) guidelines, are expected to arrive in the next six weeks. The filter system will require the construction of a building to house the system to prevent freezing in colder weather.
Council unanimously approved ordinances to move the project forward - Ordinance 7-2023 (to advertise for construction bids regarding the waterline project), Ordinance 8-2023 (authorizing the village to enter into the contract with Calgon) and Ordinance 9-2023 (to contract MS Consultants to engineer the project). The project is expected to be completed by summer.
The Ohio emergency Management Agency announced on Monday that "test results show that all but 50 feet of sampled soil at the south rail line meet the clean standards determined by state and federal authorities" and that "compaction, straightening, and leveling must occur next before the new tracks are laid." Council addressed concerns regarding what is replacing the contaminated dirt removed from beneath the tracks and the time it is taking to complete the task. Fire chief Keith Drabrick said that the bed material will consist of clay, soil and a variety of different rock that will be compacted. The process is lengthy to begin with but has been slowed by the limited volume of rock that can be hauled in daily by local suppliers. Council heard from Norfolk Southern that work on the north track is expected to move faster as materials will be delivered as the old dirt is removed.
Council also discussed concerns about the Easter egg hunt in the wake of the rail disaster. The Easter egg hunt will be held as planned unless results from soil testing suggest contamination. Council is still waiting on those results.
"If the tests come back with poor results, we will absolutely cancel the Easter egg hunt," Councilwoman Dr. Jill Rocco said. "As of now, it will be held on the basket and tennis courts."
Council reported that the mulch has been removed from the playground, which has been disinfected, and the installation of new mulch is underway. The basketball and tennis courts have also been disinfected.
Council also approved moving forward with USDA environmental grant opportunities, and retreated to executive session to discuss pending litigation and the village manager/finance director possessions with no further action taken.