Contaminated water found in Andover

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is investigating contaminated drinking water in two north metro communities. While MPCA and Minnesota Department of Health employees conducted a water sampling near the closed WDE Landfill in Andover, they found high levels of a chemical, which chemical is likely a carcinogen and was discovered in private residential wells near Bunker Lake Boulevard and Crosstown Boulevard.

The “chemical of concern” is called 1,4-dioxane, which MPCA Assistant Commissioner Kirk Koudelka said has been detected near manufacturing sites, industrial sites and landfills. It can be a byproduct of the manufacturing process for products such as cleaners, detergents, adhesives, inks and car fluids. Its main use is as a stabilizer for the chlorinated solvent 1,1,1-trichloroethane, often used for industrial purposes.

1,4-Dioxane is a solvent stabilizer frequently found at contaminated sites where methyl chloroform (1,1,1-trichloroethane) was used for degreasing.

1,4-dioxane may be found as a by-product in consumer products such as soaps and detergents when 1,4-dioxane is created from the breakdown of other chemicals that are used to make certain consumer products.

Treatment Technologies for 1,4-Dioxane: Fundamentals and Field Applications Source: EPA.GOV
Adsorption involves concentrating contaminants on the surface of a sorbent such as GAC, (granular activated carbon) thereby reducing the concentration of those contaminants in the liquid being treated.

What does this all mean?
Manufacturers use this chemical as a degreaser and it can get into our soil and then find its way into our water supply. A whole house filter and Reverse Osmosis System are the recommended treatment.

Whole house carbon for bathing water, when you shower steam is formed and you can breathe in the chemical (inhalation) or if you are in a bath you are soaking (adsorption) in it and the body can absorb it.

Reverse osmosis with carbon filters will reduce the chemical and this is for water that you are cooking and drinking (consumption).