Limit Water Use In Gloucester County Amid PA Chemical Spill: Utility

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — The Pennsylvania treatment plant that sustained a chemical spill provides water for three South Jersey counties, which were encouraged to conserve water. But their supply remains unimpacted by the spill as of Monday morning, according to New Jersey American Water.

Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties get water from the Delaware River Regional Water Treatment Plant. Although officials say the spill hasn't impacted the supply, residents should still conserve water through 6:30 p.m. Monday, NJ American Water says.

The latex spill into the Delaware River prompted Philadelphia officials Sunday to send alerts recommending that residents only use bottled water for drinking and cooking. City officials said later that afternoon that they hadn't found any contamination in Philadelphia's water supply, so the water is safe to drink through Monday.

• Read more: Philadelphia Water Safe To Drink At Least Through Monday

NJ American Water issued a notice Sunday evening for customers to voluntarily conserve water in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. The 24-hour notice runs through 6:28 p.m. Monday.

"Customers in these counties are asked to limit non-essential water use until further notice," NJ American Water said. "The company is issuing this order to help ensure the optimal operation of its Delaware River Regional Water Treatment Plant."

The utility company will issue a follow-up alert once they lift the recommendation to conserve water. NJ American Water will post updates on its website and social-media pages. Customers can also sign up to receive alerts.

Testing so far has revealed no contamination levels near the Baxter plant. Chemicals of potential concern include methyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate and butyl acrylate, which was identified in connection with the East Palestine train derailment last month in Ohio, according to Mike Carroll, Philadelphia’s deputy managing director for infrastructure.

The "latex emulsion product" was released from an Altuglas manufacturing facility Friday, shortly before midnight, into Otter Creek in Bristol, Pennsylvania, because of an apparent equipment failure, according to its parent company, Trinseo PLC.

Trinseo estimated 8,100 gallons of the solution — about 50 percent water and the remainder latex polymer — was spilled.

The latex emulsion is a white liquid used in various consumer goods, the company said. Altuglas and regulatory agencies were testing water samples in the surrounding area to confirm the material was not a threat to people or wildlife.

The incident is being investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.