ATSDR

ATSDR releases public health report about contaminants in Dimock private wells

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

ATLANTA, GA – Some private wells have elevated levels of methane, naturally occurring salts, and other organic chemicals in the area of Dimock, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania area, says the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in a health consultation report released today.

Residents and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked ATSDR to conduct a public health evaluation of the groundwater data available, focusing on the samples collected and analyzed by EPA in 2012. ATSDR reviewed the data for sixty four (64) residential wells as part of the evaluation.

The report released today documents ATSDR’s findings and recommendations to protect the health and safety of Dimock residents.

“Our evaluation confirmed that some chemicals, including methane, found in private water wells are of health and safety concern in the Dimock area,” said Robert Helverson, ATSDR’s Environmental Health Scientist.

ATSDR recommends that people take steps to reduce health risks from exposure to contaminants found in their residential private wells.

ATSDR will continue to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (agency with regulatory oversight regarding groundwater quality concerns in the Dimock area) and/or EPA to monitor and analyze additional information from the site area.

Other findings and recommendations for the Dimock Groundwater Site are included on the report available on ATSDR’s website at: Health Consultation Dimock Groundwater Site Carter Road and State Route 3023 Dimock PA

For more information about the health consultation, please call 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or visit: www.atsdr.cdc.gov.

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ATSDR, a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, evaluates the potential for adverse human health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.

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