Eielson reviews water quality incident

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  The water quality at Eielson is back to normal after unsafe levels of potassium permanganate were accidentally released into the Eielson Air Force Base water supply Jan. 26.

An anti-siphon valve failed to work properly at the water production plant, allowing an excessive amount of potassium permanganate into the water supply. Potassium permanganate is commonly used as a water conditioner to help remove iron and manganese from water. It is also used to improve taste and remove odors from well water. Excessive levels of the water conditioner drew concern from base officials, however the health hazards for base residents were small.

"Once the problem was identified, we sent out an immediate water advisory to the base community," said Master Sgt. Justin Porter, 354th Civil Engineer Squadron superintendent of water systems. "Subsequently, we teamed up the utilities maintenance shop within the squadron and the base environmental engineers. We identified key points within the base water distribution system, checked the water quality at those locations and flushed the lines clear where we had to."

Base agencies responded quickly to ensure Icemen were notified and kept up-to-date on the situation.

"Keeping our residents informed is crucial, especially if the incident impacts their safety. In addition, if we keep our community informed we can reduce the rumor-factor and correct any misinformation," said Col. Karlton Johnson, 354th Mission Support Group commander.

Responding quickly to an event that impacts military readiness and quality of life is a priority.

"The problem was handled quickly, thanks to swift decisions and skilled Airmen we were able to resolve the problem in less than 24 hours. Credit also has to be given to our base community and tenant units, this also impacted their water service but they were able to help us ensure we had flushed the lines to restore water quality," said Sergeant Porter

Another focus for CES was to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

"Last week's incident was out of the ordinary. The drinking water supply at Eielson has won multiple state awards for quality, it's important that people realize that there are Airmen hard at work 24 hours a day to ensure the water quality for everyone on base," said Sergeant Porter.

Since last week's incident, the water treatment plant has inspected their equipment. The valve has been replaced and additional safety devices on the chemical injection line have been installed.