[E]levated levels of a possible carcinogen have been found in the drinking water of the town of Richford, just south of the Canadian border in northern Franklin County.
Richford town officials announced this week that water quality tests from the end of June show increased concentrations of haloacetic acids, collectively known as HAA5, in the municipal drinking water. HAA5 are a group of chemicals that can form as a byproduct of water treatment, especially under conditions of higher than normal water temperatures and acidity levels.
Federal requirements set the maximum allowable level for HAA5 at 0.060 mg/L. The state determines whether a town’s drinking water meets federal standards by averaging contaminant levels from water quality tests from the previous year, said Ben Montross, head of compliance for DEC’s drinking water division. The average for HAA5 in Richford’s drinking water after the last quarter was 0.062 mg/L.
The federal threshold for HAA5 is based on the potential consequences of long-term exposure to the chemical, Montross said. “It’s not an acute contaminant,” he said. “It’s not something where you drink it and it will make you sick instantly.”
Exposure to large amounts of haloacetic acids has been shown to affect the liver, kidneys, eyes, nervous system and reproductive system. Animal studies also have shown that long-term exposure to some of the acids in the group may increase the risk of developing cancer.
Residents have not been told to boil their water or take other precautions at this time, but the notice sent out by the town says residents who may be pregnant or have a compromised immune system, as well as infants, should consult with a doctor before drinking the water.
Elevated levels of HAA5 were initially detected last November, prompting the state to require the town to look into how to reduce HAA5 levels in the water supply, Montross said. In addition to testing water that has gone through the normal treatment process, the state has provided the town equipment to test “raw water quality” from the Stanhope Brook before it is treated, he said.
Unlike naturally occurring elements such as iron and arsenic, the amount of HAA5 in a water supply can spike seasonally. The acids form when chlorine reacts with organic matter. They are often found in higher levels in the spring and summer due to “a bunch of little factors,” Montross said. Rain brings leaf litter and grass into waterways more quickly than winter snowmelt, he said, and the higher water temperatures speed up the chemical reaction that creates the acids.
One solution to lowering HAA5 levels may be for Richford to divert its incoming water to a nearby reservoir, which would allow the organic matter to settle out before the water heads to the treatment plant, Montross said. He said the town may also need to reduce water storage and flush its water lines more regularly, to decrease formation of the acid.
As the town has been working with the state to lower levels of HAA5, no enforcement actions are being taken at this time. The state is holding a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 2 at the Richford Town Hall.
