‘Significant’ amount of chemically contaminated water from Ohio rail spill being sent to Baltimore

The plan to transport a considerable quantity of hazardous wastewater from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment via rail to a wastewater treatment plant situated east of Baltimore City, and then release it into the nearby water supply, has the potential to trigger public outrage among local residents in the Maryland city.

According to a letter obtained by the local media outlet WYPR, contractor Clean Harbors of Baltimore Inc. referred to itself as the “optimal wastewater treatment site to treat and discharge the wastewater collected from rainwater, collected water and stream water above and below the cleanup site of the Norfolk Southern Railroad derailment.”

Upon receiving authorization, the contractor plans to transport over 675,000 gallons of toxic wastewater to the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant located in Baltimore County, which might worry residents of Baltimore, especially considering that the transportation method is by rail. The approval for this operation is anticipated to be granted soon, the local outlet reported.

“The water would be pre-treated by a contractor then dumped into the city-controlled wastewater system then cleaned with the city’s Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dundalk,” WYPR said.