Audacious is one way to describe Olin Corp.’s decision to clean
South County’s groundwater to 11 parts per billion, a perchlorate
level that is nearly twice the state’s public health goal of 6
ppb.
Audacious is one way to describe Olin Corp.’s decision to clean South County’s groundwater to 11 parts per billion, a perchlorate level that is nearly twice the state’s public health goal of 6 ppb.
It certainly isn’t good corporate citizenship, which is what Olin promised to exhibit when news that its now-closed road flare factory in south Morgan Hill had polluted the groundwater that feeds more than 1,000 South County wells with perchlorate.
“It’s a valid number, based on scientifically sound and technically competent analysis,” Olin project manager Rick McClure said of the 11 ppb goal.
The problem is it’s still 11ppb more than what likely existed before Olin moved to town and they should have to clean up all of their own mess. Simply because science and analysis shows 11 ppb, or even 6 ppb is safe, doesn’t mean Olin shouldn’t be held responsible for its own pollution.
The state says perchlorate should be present at levels of no more than 6 ppb. While that is certainly better than Olin’s proposal, it’s still a far cry from cleaning until the pollutant is gone.
The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board has ordered the company to clean the water to the “background level,” or the level at which perchlorate was present in the water before Olin’s road flare factory polluted it.
The problem with this is that we don’t have data from 1955, the year Olin began operating the road flare factory in Morgan Hill, to know what the level of perchlorate was 51 years ago. However, given the levels found in the majority of the contaminated wells, and the proximity of the wells with the highest levels of perchlorate to the factory site, the background level wasn’t anywhere near 11 ppb or even 6ppb. In fact, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest there was no perchlorate at all when Olin began operating the plant.
Proving that today is more difficult, however, as the salt has entered our food source and is now found almost anywhere scientists look. Because we can’t know what the true “background level” of perchlorate is, it could be an unenforceable standard Olin would fight tooth and nail. However, the state of California’s health goal of 6 ppb is clear, achievable and even generous. At the very least, Olin should meet that standard. Let’s not forget they’re the polluter here, not the victim.
It’s time to stop playing games.
South County’s local government agencies and residents need to bring heavy pressure to bear.
Olin should not be allowed to get away with this cheap-trick effort to duck its responsibility. There’s a lot of money at stake for Olin, but there’s more at stake for South County residents: Clean water is priceless.
