Update: Herington Sulfuric Acid Spill

TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) continues to work with state and local partners to clean up Sunday’s sulfuric acid spill in Herington and monitor the impact.

Tests this morning indicate that the pH in Lime Creek improved throughout yesterday. pH is a measure of the acidic or basic (alkaline) nature of a solution, with a range of 6.0 to 9.0, providing protection for freshwater fish and bottom dwelling invertebrates. By Tuesday afternoon, all established monitoring stations below the filter dams were above 6. The pH reading through the filter dams was also above 6.

“This is good news and we are hoping that these readings continue to improve,” explained Leo Henning, Director of KDHE’s Bureau of Environmental Field Services.

Further downstream, the pH water quality at the K-4 Bridge had decreased from 7 to 5 early Tuesday but it rose again throughout the day. This section will continue to be watched closely in the coming days. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism is again on scene today monitoring the stream aquatic life.

To date, two filter dams have been installed in order for KDHE’s Response/Restoration unit to stop the flow of contaminated water. KDHE will be onsite today monitoring the construction of a third filter dam and the neutralizing process along Lime Creek.