Fish taken from a stretch of the Quinnipiac River in Southington are now safe to eat, but two public drinking water wells still remain closed following a chemical spill last Wednesday.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has lifted last week's ban on eating fish taken from a stretch of the Quinnipiac River following the spill of hexavalent chromium. That chemical is a known carcinogen.
Jeff Chandler, a supervisor with DEEP's emergency response unit, said the fish take ban has now been lifted -- as tests indicate no evidence of contamination in the Quinnipiac River from the spill.
But two public drinking water wells in town will remain closed. Chandler said the state is requiring more sampling -- at more points -- over the next few days. "We want to just ensure absolute public safety," he said. "That we're using science to back up our rationale for when we get to the point that we can open up the wells."
In the meantime, Chandler said Southington officials have ensured the DEEP residents in town should experience no disruptions to their water supplies as a result of the spill.
About 300 gallons of hexavalent chromium spilled at Light Metals Coloring, a manufacturing plant. Some of the chemical got into pavement and dirt on the property, which was dug up and removed.
Four private wells near the spill are also being tested. So far, Chandler said tests at both the public and private wells have showed no sign of contamination following the spill.
