Ohio village water supply flushed after acid dump

Tue Feb 3, 5:25 pm ET BELLAIRE, Ohio – Water service for thousands of residents returned to normal Tuesday, a day after the system was flushed to remove hydrochloric acid accidentally added to the village's supply. No illnesses were reported. Forty pounds of the acid were added to Bellaire's water Sunday after a supplier shipped the wrong chemical and the filtration system crew mistook the containers for fluoride.

The error was discovered Monday morning when workers noticed fluoride levels were lower than normal. "Unfortunately, the drums are all the same size and the same color," water department superintendent Kirk Baker said. The chemical drums were labeled, however, said Janet Barth, an official with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Baker said crews opened fire hydrants and drained the system to clean it. "All I can say is it was an unfortunate accident and it won't happen again," he said.

A small amount of hydrochloric acid heavily diluted in water poses very little or no health risk, but could cause nausea, dry mouth and diarrhea. Customers were urged to avoid using tap water, and Bellaire High School dismissed classes early.

The state EPA lifted a warning about 1 p.m. Monday. About 2,400 people were affected by the contamination. Joe Redinger, president of the supplier, Ohio Valley Chemical in Martins Ferry, said Tuesday the mix-up occurred at the shipping dock but he was unsure how. Bellaire is about 120 miles east of Columbus, across the Ohio River from Wheeling, W.Va.