SCHUMER CALLS TOP NUCLEAR REGULATOR TO URGE AN IMMEDIATE AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHY INDIAN POINT’S WATER PUMP FAILED & HOW TO PREVENT FUTURE LEAKAGE

Schumer Urges NRC To Work Hand-In-Hand With State & Local Officials To Contain & Prevent Future Radioactive Water Leakage 

Schumer To NRC: This Leak Appears Contained But What About Next Time? 

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Stephen G. Burns to immediately order an investigation to determine the extent of possible ground water contamination and prevent future water contamination. According to the NRC, the water leakage was the result of a non-functional water pump at Indian Point. Schumer said, part of the investigation should be to determine why the pump failed.

“The disconcerting levels of tritium in the water wells surrounding Indian Point should be a wake up call that more must be done to prevent leaks like this in the first place. It is critical that proper safety measures are in place to prevent water contamination. That is why I am urging NRC to fully investigate all the wells surrounding Indian Point and determine why the pump was not working, how far the contamination spread, how to prevent future spills and more importantly determine if local residents’ health and safety are at risk,” said Senator Schumer.

According to the NRC, Entergy informed NRC Inspectors that one of the groundwater wells had a high reading on tritium. Entergy told NRC that there was a pump at Indian Point that was not operational and caused water with tritium to go out into the water well. Once the tritium was detected, Indian Point stopped their operation, as required by NRC.

Schumer was told by Chairman Burns that the leakage would not affect drinking water because it takes two months of migration before the water enters the Hudson River. Even at that point, NRC claims the amount of tritium would be well within federal limits. Schumer said part of the investigation should be to determine if there are additional actions NRC can do to prevent the contaminated water from entering the Hudson, in addition the natural dilution. ‎Schumer noted communities throughout the Hudson Valley, like Poughkeepsie and Lloyd, and various others areas in Dutchess and Ulster Counties,  use the Hudson River for public drinking water and NRC should do everything possible to ensure the water in the Hudson River remains safe.

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