Investigation into perchlorate source could take months

Investigation into perchlorate source could take months

By KAREN JONAS, staff writer

BARSTOW • Water board officials will continue their investigation into locating the source of the perchlorate contamination of Barstow’s tap water but say it is a long and complex process that could take months.

The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board is heading up the investigation and has already named a potential source of the contamination. Singer said scientists are investigating the site of Mojave River Pyrotechnics to determine if the perchlorate contamination originated from the former company, which closed in the 1980s.

The water board is testing private wells to get more information about the source of contamination. After testing a total of 26 private wells for perchlorates, Harold Singer, the board’s executive officer, said two wells showed levels of perchlorates higher than those allowed by state drinking water standards.

Singer said investigations into the source of a contaminant usually start with looking for companies in the area that might have used the chemical for business either in the past or at present. Mojave River Pyrotechnics used to produce fireworks, which contain perchlorates.

The Lahontan water board will be conducting further tests of private wells in the area this week so that they can more accurately pinpoint the source of contamination. The Mojave Water Agency and Golden State Water Company will also be working with the Lahontan water board to find a source.

Lance Eckhart, principal hydrogeologist for MWA, said determining the extent of a plume of contaminated water can be difficult when drawing water from wells because wells are often drilled into different aquifers, or bodies of groundwater underneath the surface. Eckhart said there could be multiple layers of aquifers underneath the surface and a well could be drawing water from multiple aquifers, depending on how deep the aquifers lie and how deeply the well is drilled.

Determining the flow of groundwater can also help accurately pinpoint a source of water contamination. Singer said the water board would be doing an analysis of groundwater flows to see how quickly the groundwater was flowing to determine how quickly the contaminant could have spread. Eckhart said the natural flow of groundwater was slow, but said it could move faster if the water was being pumped.

Finding the source of the contamination means that the water company can determine the person or company responsible for the contamination. Singer said the water company would then have the company that polluted the water pay for further investigation of the extent of the plume. He said if there was not a responsible party for the contamination, then different state and federal programs would help continue the investigation.