Drinking Water ‘All Clear’ After Fire

The Ministry of Health would like to inform the public that the final test results have now been processed from the Residential Tank Report, commissioned by the Department of Health, following the fire which broke out at the Holmes, Williams and Purvey (HWP) Head Office, Auto Showroom, Paint and Body Shop on St. John’s Road, Pembroke on August 8th, 2011.

A statement released by the Ministry said, “Preliminary test results, made public last month, indicated that the levels of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons in the tank water of houses in the neighbourhood of the HWP fire, were within acceptable limits.”

“The final test results show that the HWP fire had no adverse effect on the long-term suitability of water in the area downwind of the fire for drinking.

“Bermuda Water Consultants Ltd. (BWC) had been commissioned, shortly after the fire broke out, to carry out a water quality assessment of tanks in outlying areas following concerns regarding water quality relating to the HWP Fire.
Based on climatological data, residences and businesses within a mile downwind and east of the fire were selected to have water collected from their tanks and tested for the following chemicals: Dioxins and Furans, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons

“Water samples were taken directly from drinking water tanks using Teflon bailers. Four litres of sample water were collected from each tank, and stored in one litre polyethylene bottles.

“The analyses conducted on the samples were specialized tests and had to be performed overseas. Samples were shipped to a branch of ALS Laboratories in Burnaby, Canada, for analysis.

“The levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans were at acceptably low levels and were not at significantly different concentrations from historic results for Bermuda tanks across the island. Furthermore, the levels of dioxins and furans observed could not be specifically linked to the HWP fire.

“The Department of Health would like to remind residents that it is important to ensure that water tanks are well maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. This can be achieved in the following ways:

• Ensure that tanks are inspected and cleaned every three to five years, in order to remove sediments which may have settled on the bottom of the tank.
• Bacterial levels in tank water may be controlled periodically by adding three ounces of chlorine (house hold bleach) for every 1000 gallons of water within the tank. This may be carried out on a monthly basis. If tanks have not been cleaned within the past three to five years, it is important to do so before adding chlorine.”

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