‘Safe drinking water in record time.’ Atwater celebrates carcinogen-free wells
The City of Atwater is celebrating the completion of a major public health milestone ahead of schedule, ushering in restored confidence in the community’s long-degraded drinking water quality.
The carcinogenic chemical 1,2,3-Trichloropropane (TCP) was found to exceed state-approved maximums in several Atwater wells in July 2019, contaminating the community’s entire water supply.
The city at the time estimated the problem would be resolved within three years. Atwater City Council later declared the restoration of clean drinking water as its highest priority public improvement project.
An Atwater news release on Thursday announced that the TCP remediation project has been achieved.
“Accomplishing this complex remediation project within such a short time was not only a necessity, but a representation of the true purpose of a public project: service for those in need,” the release said.
“The residents and businesses of Atwater were able to witness their city and local consultants and contractors come together to serve the best interests of the community and give the people clean, safe drinking water in record time.”
What led to Atwater’s water problem
For years, TCP was put into soil through the use of fumigants that kill small worms called nematodes. The chemical sinks to the bottom of groundwater, where it remains for long periods of time.
After suing Shell Oil Company and DOW Chemical, Atwater in 2019 was awarded $63 million from the companies. Shell Oil allegedly marketed a nematicide used to kill worms in the Valley for decades without revealing it contained TCP. The chemical was utilized on agricultural lands around Atwater, contaminating city water.
The $63 million award was used to fully fund the massive public works project necessary to eradicate the man-made carcinogen from Atwater’s potable water.
Short-term TCP exposure can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Exposure to the chemical can cause interference with concentration, memory and muscle coordination.
Although Atwater’s water was considered safe to drink, high TCP quantities can put residents at risk for an increased chance of developing cancer, weight loss and liver and kidney damage if consumed over the course of many years.
Large-scale mitigation of TCP from seven of eight city wells began in June 2020, marking the start of one of the “largest and fastest public works projects in its history,” the release said.
W.M. Lyles Co. and Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group comprised the project’s design-build team. GHD Inc., a global services company specializing in engineering, construction and architectural expertise, was brought on to lead the project’s construction management.
Alongside city staff, the project team collaborated to “complete what essentially amounted to six engineering projects . . . in less time than it would typically take to complete a single treatment plant project—all during a global pandemic doubly exacerbated by supply-chain gridlock,” the release said.
Atwater community celebrates clean water
The City of Atwater on Nov. 15 will host a celebration marking the restoration of clean community water. The event will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Central Treatment Site at 1800 Fruitland Ave.
The TCP remediation is being recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies of America with a merit award for the GHD and Provost and Pritchard teams’ work on the project. The achievement will be celebrated at a virtual event on Feb. 3, according to the release.
“Government doesn’t have to move slowly and inefficiently,” the release said. “The City of Atwater proved that with this project.”
