Chaos hit Bucks County late Friday evening when a spill at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical plant in Bristol Township sent thousands of gallons of a hazardous material surging into the Delaware River, local officials said. In a swift response to the emergency, Bucks County's authorities activated their Emergency Operations Center Saturday morning, strategizing to contain the damage and keep in touch with state and federal partners.
The substance that leaked—an eye-catching 8,100 to 12,000 gallons of a water-based latex finishing solution—was quickly reported to be non-toxic to humans, a slice of good news amidst the grim scenario. Buckingham's water watchdogs have made it their mission to constantly monitor, assure the public their glasses of water are untouched by the ominous spill. In a statement obtained by Bucks County's official website, water providers Pennsylvania American Water, Aqua, and the Lower Bucks Joint Municipal Authority claimed they haven’t detected any detrimental effects on drinking water supplies in the county so far.
Residents of Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, and Bensalem Township hanging on with questions about their water's safety are advised to contact their respective water providers directly. Bucks County has promised to keep its communities informed with updates as they flow in. The spearhead of the response, PA Department and Environmental Protection, is also keeping an ear to the ground, with spokesperson Stephanie Berardi poised as the go-to media contact, according to Bucks County's official communication.
Pennsylvania American Water didn't spare a moment, standing firm against this environmental threat. “The health and safety of our customers is our top priority,” the company assured, keen to maintain a close watch on the river's condition, especially near the Yardley Water Treatment Plant—a facility thankfully situated upstream from the site of the catastrophe. Aqua took a proactive leap as well, shutting down an intake of the Bristol water system to shield customers from any contaminating tendrils of the spillage. “We continue to monitor the situation closely,” stated Aqua, committed to only reactivating water intakes when it is completely sure that water quality is unblemished and safe for public consumption, as per Bucks County.
