EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — Months after the Norfolk Southern train derailment, equipment used for water treatment at Sulphur Run will soon be removed.
According to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, water treatment operations ended April 5 following ideal surface water sampling data. The equipment remained there in case the water did not show steady, safe levels, but officials now say they plan to remove the equipment starting this Monday.
Accord to DeWine’s office, water testing results from the municipal water system show no signs of contaminants associated with the derailment.
As of Friday, the Ohio Department of Health and Columbiana County Health District have received verified laboratory results from 61 additional samples from private water systems. Fifty-six of those wells did not show contaminants. Five wells had trace detections at levels below safe drinking-water standards, but there’s no evidence that these trace detections are linked to the train derailment, according to DeWine’s office.
In total, test results from 340 samples have been verified.
According to the Ohio EPA, about 14 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been taken from East Palestine. About 5,400 pounds of contaminated soil are yet to be removed.
Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern will soon start sediment cleaning in Leslie Run from East Palestine down to Bull Creek; the project could start as early as May.