TCEQ: Arsenic levels in drinking water improved

MERCEDES — Military Highway Water Supply Corp. has issued a notice that its readings for arsenic contamination improved during the first three months of 2007.

Public meetings were held and a lawsuit filed by customers in April after a warning was issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that arsenic readings during the last quarter of 2006 were unsafe.

Although arsenic levels dropped at the Las Rusias water treatment plant and the water quality improved in the first quarter of 2007, state officials will continue monitoring MHWSC efforts to reduce arsenic levels, a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman said.

Although the arsenic readings from water samples dropped from 0.017 milligrams per liter for the last quarter of 2006 to 0.007 milligrams per liter for the first three months of 2007, the running annual average is still 0.11, down from 0.012 for the past quarter.

The improvement may be attributed to the natural fluctuation since the plant at Las Rusias draws its water from wells that are affected by surface water of the Rio Grande, TCEQ spokeswoman Andrea Morrow said.

Military Highway can improve its test results is by blending its well water with water from other sources, Morrow said.

“It’s really close,” she said of MHWSC’s arsenic levels to the maximum contaminant level. The fluctuation is probably a natural occurrence, she said.

“Currently the last quarterly sample indicates the level of arsenic is within the maximum contaminant level, but the running annual average is still above the MCL, and thus a violation,” states a notice issue by TCEQ and MHWSC this week.

“Military Highway WSC has initiated plans to upgrade the treatment process at the Las Rusias plant, which will reduce the levels of arsenic in the drinking water and maintain the level below the MCL,” the notice states.

At a recent public hearing in El Ranchito, MHWSC official Amado E. Salinas said the utility plans to install treatment equipment that will eliminate any harmful level of arsenic contamination.

A lawsuit was filed April 23 by customers of MHWSC who claim that, although state and MHWSC officials say there is no immediate danger from drinking the water provided by the district, many customers have developed unexplained illnesses.

“The water provided is yellow, smells foul and tastes bad,” the lawsuit states.

The notice provided to customers this week still contains wording included on earlier

public statements:

“You do not need to use an alternative water source. However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.”