Elevated Atrazine Levels Detected In Springfield/Greenbrier Drinking Water
SPRINGFIELD/GREENBRIER TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – It would seem that the excessive heat and lack of rain came with a bit of a price tag. As an agricultural community, it is not unusual to see traces of chemicals in our rivers, lakes, and yes drinking water. Most of the time the levels are very low but after an extended period of dry weather, chemicals can accumulate until we get a good rain. That is likely the culprit in a recent small spike in Atrazine found in Springfield and subsequently Greenbrier drinking water.
The elevation of Atrazine levels, though small, exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 0.0003 mg/L. (to) 0.0163 mg/L. Not a lot but enough to trigger a letter to all Springfield and Greenbrier customers. If you are in the Springfield or Greenbrier water supply chain you should have received or will be receiving a letter that outlines the situation. Since some customers either didn’t receive the letter or overlooked it, Smokey Barn News has added a copy of the letter below.
Springfield City Manager Ryan Martin told Smokey Barn News that the violation was minor and a rare occurrence for Springfield but if customers had questions not answered below they could contact their water department.
“All of our customers will be receiving or have already received notice of the minor violation of atrazine at the water treatment plant,” said City Manager Ryan Martin. “We understand there may be some misinformation on social media regarding this issue. We encourage anyone that has any questions to contact our Water Department at 615-382-1600.”
(LETTER)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD HAS LEVELS OF ATRAZINE ABOVE DRINKING WATER STANDARDS
“Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard,” the letter states. “Although this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.
We routinely monitor the presence of drinking water contaminants. A sample collected on June 8, 2022, indicated that our system exceeds the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for Atrazine. The MCL for Atrazine is 0.0003 mg/L. The level detected in the sample was 0.0163 mg/L.
What should I do?
You do not need to use an alternative (e.g., bottled) water supply. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.
What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been, you would have been notified immediately. However, some people who drink water containing Atrazine well in excess of the MCL over many years could experience problems with their cardiovascular system or reproductive difficulties.
What is being done?
Springfield Water System will be conducting quarterly sampling beginning July 1, 2022. Samples will be collected following a 1-inch rainfall event. If no qualifying event occurs, a sample will be collected before the end of the required quarter. We will monitor these results to determine if additional action needs to be taken.
For more information, please contact Bryan Suter, Springfield Water Plant Superintendent at (615) 696-2586.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses). You can do this by posting notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or email.
This notice is being sent to you by the City of Springfield’s Water and Wastewater Department. State Water System ID# TN0000666. Date Distributed: 08/05/2022.
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