Chemicals found in wells near TVA power plant

TVA's Gallatin Steam Plant.
Gallatin Tn
TVA's Gallatin Steam Plant. Gallatin Tn

GALLATIN, Tenn. -- Albert Hudson worries about the water coming from the well on his property near the Tennessee Valley Authority's coal-fired power plant in Gallatin.

Hudson received a letter recently from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation notifying him that tests found a harmful chemical in his water called hexavalent chromium The Tennessean reported.

The state agency told Hudson his well water meets overall national standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but said the levels of hexavalent chromium are "slightly above" the EPA risk levels. Hexavalent chromium is typically the result of an industrial process.

"I drink (my well water) sometimes, but since this uncertainty came up, I'm a little leery about it now, you know," Hudson said. "My paper said it wasn't strong enough, but hell, I got bottled water in there now."

The test results could bolster claims by environmental groups that pollution from the Gallatin Fossil Plant is spreading beyond TVA's property.

The Southern Environmental Law Center filed a motion in federal court Friday on behalf of two other environmental groups citing the tests of two water wells, including Hudson's, and results that found the chemical in the Cumberland River near where the Gallatin water utility draws water.

Hexavalent chromium is rarely found naturally and is typically the result of an industrial process. It has been found to cause cancer in lab animals when they drink it in water and can cause lung cancer when inhaled, according to the National Institutes of Health and the EPA. It can be found in coal ash, the waste created when coal is burned to produce electricity.

TVA said Friday the sample results from private wells show none of the elements exceed the standards for drinking water.

"The levels of hexavalent chromium did slightly exceed draft criteria that EPA proposed in 2010, but those standards have not been finalized by EPA," TVA spokesman Scott Brooks said by email Friday.

"We support the state's decision to retest all of the wells to confirm these low readings and we believe this data should be compared against existing background levels in the area. We also support the state in its consideration of this and will assist them however we can."

But the Southern Environmental Law Center disagrees and says the problem is more widespread

The group filed a federal lawsuit against TVA in April, alleging violations of the federal Clean Water Act. In January, state regulators filed an action against TVA in Davidson County court. TVA has asked that a judge dismiss the federal case because of the pending state action. Friday's motion by the law center argues a federal court still has jurisdiction and its case should go forward, particularly given the well samples.

"Recent test results confirm that contamination is serious, ongoing, and could harm the environment and people who live near the Gallatin Plant and whose drinking water is drawn nearby," according to the group's motion.

The state also tested water near the intake for the Gallatin Water Treatment Plant downstream of the power plant and found low levels of hexavalent chromium.

Gallatin Public Works Superintended David Gregory said Friday the city's water treatment plant has not had any issues with hexavalent chromium in its water supply.

"We send what we treat off for testing," Gregory said. "We have met all of the (EPA and state water) requirements and exceeded them. We've had no violations, and we didn't detect anything."

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