Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment Massachusetts Department of Public Health February 13, 2002 Public Meeting: MDPH Activities in South Weymouth and Neighboring Communities

MDPH Investigation on Arsenic in South Weymouth Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment Massachusetts Department of Public Health Status Report February 13, 2001

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 3 MDPH Activities To Date ä Collection of tap water from five homes of individuals who expressed concern about arsenic exposure ä Testing of town drinking water supply including raw water samples ä Indoor environmental sampling at several homes in South Weymouth

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 4 MDPH Activities To Date ä Soil sampling in public areas in South Weymouth and an offer to conduct soil sampling at certain private residences in South Weymouth ä Two public meetings in early and late summer last year ä Coordination with the Mayor of Weymouth to have monthly testing of the town drinking water supply

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 5 MDPH Activities To Date ä Offered urinary arsenic testing to 70 households which included approximately 200 residents.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 6 Factors Influencing Urinary Arsenic Concentrations ä Many factors can influence urinary arsenic concentration: seafood consumption, existing illnesses, occupational exposures, environmental exposures, other dietary foods, herbal remedies ä Commercial labs use background levels of 50 ug As/g creatinine. ä MDPH used more conservative background level of 25 ug As/g creatinine.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 7 Urinary Arsenic Testing ä Offered to 70 households Q 63 households participated (90%) ä 184 individuals chose to participate in urinary arsenic testing ä Samples collected in early October

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 8 Urine Testing Results ä 171 participants had no arsenic present in urine or less than 25 ug As/g creatinine ä 8 participants had levels greater than 25 ug As/g creatinine Q reported seafood consumption during 72 hours prior to sample collection ä 5 participants had levels slightly above 25 ug As/g creatinine (i.e ug As/g creatinine) Q reported no consumption of seafood products

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 9 Re-testing Efforts ä MDPH offered to re-test all individuals whose urinary arsenic level was greater than 25 ug As/g creatinine ä Five people wanted to give a second urine sample to be analyzed for total arsenic Q a 3 day food record was also obtained from these participants ä Three additional urine samples from young children were collected after the initial sample collection.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 10 Continuing Activities ä Uniform environmental medicine evaluations of all members of six families ä Focused testing of the Great Pond reservoir

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 11 Great Pond Water and Sediment Sampling  Concerns have been expressed that sporadic elevations of arsenic in drinking water may result from various environmental conditions in the pond (e.g., spring and fall turnover) that may not be captured by testing required by drinking water regulations

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 12 Great Pond Water and Sediment Sampling ä Sediment and surface water samples will be taken four times during the course of one year, including during spring and fall turnover events, at five locations depicted on the picture

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 13 Great Pond Reservoir

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 14 Great Pond Water and Sediment Sampling ä In addition, raw drinking water samples (i.e., prior to treatment) will be taken every other week for one year to gather data on arsenic concentrations of water entering the treatment system directly from the intake at Great Pond

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Environmental Health Assessment 15 Great Pond Water and Sediment Sampling ä Draft protocol has been submitted to ATSDR and is being reviewed by others (e.g., MDEP, environmental engineer working on behalf of a South Weymouth family, US Geological Survey)