HEALTH CONSULTATION Hydrogen sulfide gas detected in well-water taps of 12 homes

Some homes had an obvious hydrogen sulfide odor while water was running.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LEAVITTSBURG -- Of the 15 homes with well water tested in a study conducted by a federal agency, hydrogen sulfide gas was detected from the water taps of 12.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released a health consultation last month detailing the hydrogen sulfide exposure private well water in Warren Township.
The report says high water usage such as during showering or doing laundry in an enclosed environment can cause short-term exposures to the rotten-egg-odor gas at levels higher that 1 part per million, the measurement used in gas exposure.
The 12 wells where gas was detected show peak levels ranging from 1 ppm to 8 ppm. After flushing water pipes for 15 to 20 minutes, one home had hydrogen sulfide levels as high as 8 ppm, the report said.
Sulfates in ground water can be converted by bacteria to form hydrogen sulfide, the document says.
Health hazard
"If the water is aerated [e.g. showering], hydrogen sulfide will escape into the indoor air," the report says. "As confirmed by air monitoring during well water sampling, some homes had a noticeable hydrogen sulfide odor off-gassing while the tap water was running."
Residents have complained for years about the rotten-egg odor, which they contend is making them sick. Last year, ATSDR released a report calling the area an urgent public health hazard.
Both ATSDR and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have said the odor is coming from the Martin Luther King Avenue landfill operated by Warren Hills LLC.
The report also notes that most residents living within two miles of the landfill use city water.
The source of the gas detected in the homes during monitoring appears to be the water.
"Levels were detected while the tap water was on and were not detected when tap water was off.
"However, indoor odors can also occur by the permeation of hydrogen sulfide from outdoor to indoor air," the ATSDR report said.
"Many residents on city water complained of hydrogen sulfide odors from outside 'getting trapped' indoors, where it would not completely dissipate for hours."
It notes that levels of the gas from wells are probably influenced by water flow rate and temperature. The odor is more often associated with hot water than cold water.
Another test
The residents are exposed to hydrogen sulfide coming from their wells into their homes, the report says. The exposure, although brief, could cause short-term health effects.
"It is not known whether Warren Recycling Inc. is contributing to underground migration of hydrogen sulfide gas offsite into the community," the report says. "The hydrogen sulfide gas detected in residential wells may likely be attributable to naturally occurring sources."
Tom Angelo, director of Warren's water pollution control center, said he wants to buy hydrogen sulfide monitors to place in sewer lines in the area to try to determine the source.
"We don't have just one contributing source in that area," he said.
The landfill is a known contributor, Angelo said.
"The citizens have concerns about their exposure to hydrogen sulfide," he said. "We, as governmental entities, should be trying to ascertain what all of the sources are."
ATSDR is conducting an epidemiology study with residents surrounding the landfill to determine the effects of the gas on their health.