No contaminants found in Ohio River after further testing, data says

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - No contaminants were found in the Ohio River after Greater Cincinnati Water Works tested it for multiple hazardous chemicals, data confirms.

According to the Water Quality of Richard Miller Treatment Plant Intake data, all four chemicals were not detected in the Ohio River, including butyl acrylate and vinyl chloride.

The four chemicals tested are typically used to create industrial products such as enamels, inks, adhesives and paint thinners, Greater Cincinnati Water Works said.

Tests were conducted over the course of seven days, starting on Feb. 7. The last time the river was tested was Thursday morning.

Conversations on the Greater Cincinnati Area’s water quality began when a train derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, spilling hazardous materials into multiple water sources, including the Ohio River.

On Monday, the Superintendent of Greater Cincinnati Water Works Jeff Swertfeger, the Hamilton County Public Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman, and other water departments in the area spoke about the possibility of contaminants being in the river.

The plume is expected to arrive in Cincinnati around Feb. 19, but that date could change depending on river conditions, according to Greater Cincinnati Water Works.

However, even the highest levels of butyl acrylate in the Ohio River are much lower than the federal safety threshold, Swertfeger explained.

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