A new study has discovered that arsenic was found in 2022 at a Gary well that has served as a drinking resource for some of the community.
A representative for the U.S. Geological Survey presented findings of a soon to-be-released study to the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission in August. The study includes test results from 2022 and 2023 at groundwater wells in Northwest Indiana.
Gary resident Gregory Magee fills a bucket with water from an artesian well as crews clean up around the water source on Monday, January 18, 2021. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)
A Gary artesian well, which doesn’t require a pump to bring water to the surface, near Chase and 35th Streets was found to have arsenic in 2022, said Harvie Pollard, a hydrologist with USGS’ Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center.
Pollard presented some of the study’s findings to the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission on Aug. 20.
“We had a large array of tests that we ran on Chase Street’s water,” he said.
In 2022, arsenic levels were found to be above the maximum contaminant level for drinking water, Pollard told the board. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines MCLs, which are the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water before there is a known or expected risk to health, according to the agency’s website.
Then-Gary Mayor Jerome Prince tries water from an artesian well near the intersection of Chase St.and W. 35th Ave in Gary on May, 19, 2022. (Post-Tribune archive photo)
Contaminated water used for drinking, food preparation and irrigation is the greatest threat to public health from arsenic, according to the World Health Organization’s website.
Long-term exposure can cause cancer and skin lesions, according to WHO, and it has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In utero and early childhood exposure can lead to negative impacts on cognitive development and more young adult deaths.
On Aug. 20, Pollard said the EPA’s standard is typically 10 micrograms per liter of arsenic, but the USGS’ 2022 tests showed 12 micrograms per liter.
Pollard said he believes no arsenic was found in the well in 2023.
“Arsenic can be introduced into groundwater in several different ways,” he added. “It can be there naturally, metallic-type sediments can introduce arsenic into the groundwater, or a lot of it comes from anthropogenic sources.”
William Baker, chairman of the Little Calumet River Basin Commission, asked Pollard what arsenic levels would look like at the well now, but Pollard said it’s unclear without analyzing the well now.
“We would have to install a pump, pull a sample, process it and send it off to the lab and get those results,” Pollard said. “I will say, during this study, when we were waiting to get real results, it was during (the COVID-19 pandemic), and we were having a lot of issues with the lab. … That’s one of the reasons why this has taken so long to get published.”
A spokesman for the city of Gary responded to the arsenic levels found in Gary’s well in a Thursday afternoon email.
“The health and well being of our community is a priority,” said spokesman Steve Segura. “We’ve been made aware of the concerns. Although this falls within our boundaries, the (Little Calumet River Basin Commission) is the owner. We have spoken with them, and we will be working with them to understand the issue and respond accordingly. Indiana American Water Company provides the residents with a reliable water source that is tested regularly according to regulations.”
Dan Repay, executive director of Little Calumet River Basin, was unable to immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which also tests water quality in the state, was also unable to immediately respond to a request for comment.
In May 2022, the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission began to transform the Chase Street well into a “park-like area to make it more user-friendly,” according to Post-Tribune archives.
Chase Street well water is tested once a month and test results are published on IDEM’s website, according to Post-Tribune’s 2022 archives, and the water was consistently safe for drinking by IDEM standards.