February 24, 2023
As a result of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, many are uneasy about the unknown consequences. Possible soil and ground water contamination is a concern for area residents with private wells, and other Ohio Valley residents in regions further away are beginning to question the quality of their own water supplies.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have been identified as being involved in the derailment incident. VOCs are organic chemicals with extremely low boiling points that convert to gasses or vapors easily.
Although these compounds are identified, there are still questions regarding if and how quickly they will spread to other areas, and what else will be created when the contaminants are exposed to sunlight, air, soil and water.
Currently, the best plan of action is to have your water tested by a testing laboratory with the ability to identify the presence of the VOCs known to have been released: Vinyl chloride, Propylene glycol, Diethylene glycol, Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, Ethylhexyl acrylate, Butyl acrylates and Isobutylene. Your authorized, independent Kinetico dealer can assist you with the collection of your water sample and facilitate the testing of your water at a reputable testing lab.
Certain Kinetico products have been tested and certified to significantly reduce a wide variety of contaminants including VOC reduction: Kinetico MACguard 7500, Kinetico Kube® Drinking Water Filter and Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station® using a VOCguard filter cartridge. Additionally, the K5 is tested and certified to ANSI standards 42, 53, 58 and 372, and conforms to CSA Standard B4831 and NSF Protocol P231, but contaminant removal standards do not exist for all the contaminants that could be in water.
Once your water is tested and you know what, if anything, is in your water, Kinetico recommends you consider installing a water treatment system as either a preventive measure or a solution to a known water quality issue. Systems could include a whole home filtration system and/or a point-of-use drinking water system tested and certified to the highest currently established standards.
Whether or not you choose to use an in-home water treatment system, Kinetico suggests continued monitoring and testing of your water as conditions may change and evolve over time. We recommend testing as often as practical but at least monthly so you can identify and solve for any issues as soon as possible.