Private heating oil tanks have been ruled out as the source of a gas additive contamination in a Finksburg mobile park well, residents learned Thursday.
“We investigated your heating oil tanks, and the majority of them are in good condition,” James Richmond of the Maryland Department of the Environment told the 30 people gathered for an MTBE informational meeting at Sandymount Elementary School.
State and county health and environment officials told Sullivan?s Trailer Park residents that some people may notice a kerosene-like taste because the groundwater contamination of methyl tertiary-butyl ether is higher than the state?s threshold of 20 parts per billion.
At these levels, park residents could drink the contaminated water for a lifetime and not experience any adverse health effects such as kidney and liver damage, said Phil Heard, a state toxicologist.
While not a big water drinker, resident Jeff Watt said he switched to bottled water for making coffee and ice cubes after receiving a letter informing him of the contamination last month from park owner Arthur Sullivan.
Watt, who moved to the park along Old Westminster Pike a year and a half ago, also gives store-bought water to his two dogs.
Other residents didn?t notice any difference in the way their water tasted and questioned whether the situation was a false alarm.
As project manager for the case, Richmond said he has been canvassing the area for possible sources and will continue to do so.
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether, a man-made chemical, was first used by refiners in the 1970s as an octane booster to replace lead in gasoline.
Maryland gas stations are switching from gas with MTBE to gas with ethanol because refiners were tired of getting sued in contamination lawsuits, saidHerb Meade of the state department of the environment.
MTBE has caused cancer in laboratory animals, but further research is needed to study its health risks, according to the state department of the environment.
