More Nevada drinking water wells found to be contaminated

September 4, 2007 - Three more private drinking-water wells in the Tahoe Meadows subdivision were found to contain tetrachloroethylene (PCE) on Monday.

Five parts per billion is the drinking water standard for PCE, a chemical component found in dry-cleaning products and a potential health hazard. One of the three wells contained 8.6 parts per billion PCE.

Another one of the three wells with water containing PCE was also found to have freon levels falling within the range considered safe to drink, according to Chuck Curtis, supervising engineer with the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. The colorless, nonflammable liquid is used as a coolant in commercial and industrial air conditioners.

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Nevada neighborhood to be tested for vapor intrusion

September 3, 2007 - People who live just east of the Boulevard Mall are learning that an underground chemical leak might have contaminated the air inside their homes.

First and foremost, state environmental officials want to emphasize that there is no immediate health threat to anyone who works or lives near the Boulevard Mall and that the actions they are taking now are strictly precautionary.

The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection says the owner of a former dry cleaning company once located in the Maryland Square shopping center notified officials that there had been a chemical leak on site about two years ago.

The chemical, known as perchloroethylene, or PCE, or PERC, is a degreasing chemical used in the dry cleaning process and many common household cleaning products.

The state says immediate testing back then revealed the chemical had made its way into the shallow groundwater below the Boulevard Mall, and a neighborhood just east of the mall where nearly 150 homeowners currently live.

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Leukemia in Fallon, NV

I recently found a great public health blog called Angry Toxicologist. Below is a posting that should be of particular interest to Contaminated Nation readers.

Why is there so much leukemia in Fallon, NV?
By AngryToxicologist May 15, 2007

The city of Fallon (pop. 7,536) is in Churchill County, NV. It is surrounded by melon and alfalfa fields, a Naval Air Station, and two tungsten refining operations. It also has a lot of childhood leukemia.

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