Tritium has been detected for the first time in water taken at the shoreline of the Connecticut River. The Vermont Department of Health Laboratory has confirmed that samples of water taken on July 18 and July 25 from the river at the point where contaminated groundwater flows from the shoreline into the river measured 534 and 611 picocuries per liter, just above the lower limit of detection.
‘We have been tracking the plume of tritium-contaminated groundwater as it moves slowly toward the river, and this new finding confirms that the tritium has traveled from the Yankee site to the Connecticut River,’ said Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD.
Governor Peter Shumlin issued this statement in response to the new finding:
‘I am very concerned about the latest findings from the Vermont Health Department. Confirmation that tritium has reached the shoreline of the Connecticut River is further evidence of the immediate need for more extraction wells and increased monitoring of the situation.’
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee issued the following statement August 18 in response to being informed by the Vermont Health Department August 17:
‘As part of our ongoing and comprehensive groundwater monitoring program at our Vermont Yankee facility, we test river water samples on a weekly basis. This testing is conducted by our laboratory, by a contracted vendor, and by the Vermont Health Department’s laboratory.
We are aware that results from the Vermont Health Department’s laboratory testing of two samples show a low level of tritium. The levels detected by the State’s laboratory (611 and 534 picocuries per liter from July 18 and 25 samples, respectively) are both just above the very lower limit that could be detected. Results from our laboratory testing of those same samples, however, show levels that are below that same extreme lower limit, otherwise known as below ‘minimum detectable’.
While it is important to note that the levels detected are extremely low, and there is no risk to the environment or public health and safety (the Environmental Protection Agency safety standard for tritium in drinking water is 20,000 picocuries per liter), we are very interested in working with the State to understand the discrepancy in the test results. As such, we have proposed to the State that we send both our samples and theirs to an independent third party laboratory for an additional round of testing.
In addition, in an effort to get as much information as possible related to this issue and to help determine whether there are any next steps, we have expedited testing results from our laboratory for water samples taken over the past three weeks. We also continue to extract groundwater at the site, as we have done for the past year and half.’
In addition, the Health Department reported earlier this month that Strontium-90 was detected in edible portions of fish taken nine miles upstream of Vermont Yankee on June 9, 2010. Today the Health Department received lab results that confirmed the accuracy of that finding.
Governor Shumlin wrote plant officials on August 3 calling for an increase in the number of extraction wells to prevent contamination from the nuclear facility from reaching the river or groundwater supplies. In addition, he instructed the Health Department to begin obtaining weekly samples of water from the Connecticut River at the shoreline and other locations in the river, which the department has begun.
The Health Department will continue to test more fish and water samples as part of its comprehensive surveillance and reporting on Vermont Yankee.
Sources: VHD, Entergy, Governor's Office.