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Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said Wednesday that Hovensa is conducting tests of cistern water in areas affected by the release of Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) earlier this week.
The company is also offering bottled water and vouchers for car washing to residents of Barren Spot, Ginger Thomas, Sunny Acres, and Strawberry, areas where company officials found spots of light oil on properties following the early morning leak on Sunday.
The water distribution, which will be only for residents in the affected areas, is from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. week days at Youth with a Mission at No. 30 Diamond Ruby, the old plantation behind the former Diamond Theatre near Sunny Isle.
Sheen reminds residents not to drink cistern or barrel water collected from rooftops in the affected areas until sampling has been completed and test results are returned. Residents can, however, use the water for non-consumption uses such as flushing, cleaning and bathing.
“Hovensa is conducting cistern water sampling of the affected homes using EPA standard methods and samples are being sent to an independent off-island lab for analysis,” Sheen said.
Residents who are not at home when officials arrive will find a notice stuck to their doors with a number where they can call in.
Sheen said that the representatives from the Department’s Public Health Preparedness and Environmental Health divisions have reviewed the sampling protocols and are in daily meetings with the company. She residents with questions or who need assistance to call the hotline set up by Hovensa in the wake of the release at (340) 692-3999. |
