GCWW Reopens Water Intake Following Testing

Monday, February 20, 2023 at 2:37 PM

The water intake was closed early Sunday morning as a precaution.

File photo.

CINCINNATI – Crews continue to monitor the safety of water from the Ohio River.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) closed the water intake at 2:00 a.m. Sunday as a precautionary measure while water from East Palestine passed through the Cincinnati area.

After extensive sampling of river water Sunday through Monday morning, GCWW reported an extremely low detection of the compound 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol in one sample collected in the river near the closed intake on Sunday afternoon.

However, there have been no detections since that time.

GCWW reopened the water intake on Monday afternoon.

“Optimized treatment has been incorporated as a precautionary measure. Additionally, GCWW will continue to closely monitor and sample the Ohio River and work with neighboring utilities and partners,” reads a statement from GWCC.

Some local towns and cities have released statements regarding their water supply.

Aurora city manager Jonathan Wismann tells Eagle Country 99.3 that the city’s water supply does not come from the Ohio River, therefore, it is not impacted by the East Palestine spill.

In Harrison, their water has been unaffected. The city draws its water from two wellfields, one in Ohio and one in Indiana. All draw water from the Greater Cincinnati Aquifer and not the Ohio River.