Waterworks letter concerns residents

PRICHARD, Ala. (WALA) - Some Prichard residents are concerned about a letter they received from the now dissolved Prichard waterworks and sewer board.

The letter said a chemical found in the water system had exceeded its maximum allowable level.   

FOX10 News got some answers Thursday, March 21, about those concerns.

Water is a resource often taken for granted until you're forced to go without or it poses a danger to your health.

Last week when several Prichard residents got this letter addressed from the former Prichard Water Board, they had questions.

“I was really confused by it. It was not really detailed, and it was kind of vague just kind of telling us that something was in the water, and it wasn't right and they were just informing us. They didn't say don't drink it. They didn't say do drink it; it was very confusing,” said one concerned Prichard resident who wished to remain anonymous.

“I was very upset because I would have assumed that being as much as the water bill is that we would have extra clean water,” said a Prichard resident who wished to remain anonymous. 

We got answers learning that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management required Prichard Water & Sewer to send the letter to its customers.

It explained that water quality tests performed late last year uncovered higher than allowed levels of the Trihalomethanes group.

“They are considered a disinfectant by-product, they are generated when chlorine is added to the drinking water making it clean and safe to drink,” said Scott Hughes, public relations officer with ADEM.

Annual testing results should not exceed 80 parts-per-billion; an average of several samples taken resulted in a 90 parts-per-billion level.

The big question: What are the health at risk from drinking the water?

“There are not any acute health impacts any health impacts associated with these disinfectant by-products exposure would be long-term exposure to the water as long as they get the issue corrected and come back in compliance there would not be any concern as far as adverse health impacts,” said Hughes.

Mobile Area Water & Sewer Systems now has the authority to operate the water board in Prichard.

MAWSS officials said a water sample test was taken recently, but it does not know when that data will be available.   

Workers did, however, flush the system where the elevated levels were discovered