Both water, soil deemed safe at pool
- Published: June 21, 2013
A Greene County Combined Health District press release sent at 4:18 today, June 21, stated that the soil tested following the overuse of a herbicide at the Gaunt Park pool has traces of chemicals that are far below the level deemed safe, so that exposure to the soil appears not to be a health risk.
“Based on the sampling date provided and reviewed, there does not appear to be a current or future health risk as a result of exposure to the soil or water at the Gaunt Park pool,” the release, from GCCHD Environmental Health Director Deb Leopold, stated.
The pool opened today following a special Village Council meeting last evening, when Leopold stated that results of water testing showed no evidence of contaminants in the water. The pool had been closed for a week, following the overuse of the herbicide Escalade 2 on Wednesday, June 12, pending the results of water and soil testing. The pool opened because the water tests came back with no traces of contamination, but because there were traces of the chemicals 2,4-D and dicamba in the soil, the soil tests were sent to the Ohio Department of Health for further interpretation, and the grassy area where the herbicide had been applied was fenced off when swimmers came to the pool today.
According to the GCCHD release, the soil tests showed a 2,4-D level of 73 parts per million in the highest level of three tests taken; the national level at which humans can be exposed to the chemical and not show any health effects is 500 parts per million. A second chemical, dicamba, showed up at 7.2 parts per million, far below the 1,500 parts per million at which humans can be exposed without any ill effects.
A more detailed story on the pool situation will be in the June 27 Yellow Springs News.
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If the problem is clover flowers attracting bees, maybe consideration should be given to cutting the grass shorter and more often when the flowers are in bloom – in lieu of herbicides.