Health Officials Investigate Chemical Leak From Lagoon Into Farmington Creek
Aug 28, 2019, 8:51 AM | Updated: 9:37 am
Photo: Chris Samuels / Deseret News
FARMINGTON, Utah — Health officials are investigating after a chemical leaked out of Lagoon Amusement Park’s drinking water treatment plant and seeped into Farmington Creek, killing some fish in the area.
There is no harm to the general public, and no injuries have been reported, according to Rachelle Blackham, environmental health director for the Davis County Health Department.
Health officials were notified about 9 p.m. Sunday of the spill involving sodium hypochlorite, more commonly known as liquid bleach, Blackham said Tuesday evening.
A small tube runs between a storage tank and pump at Lagoon, and the chemical began leaking from the tube on Saturday, Blackham said.
Lagoon staffers monitor the plant daily, and when they inspected it Saturday everything was in order, according to Blackham. Employees checked it again Sunday morning and noticed the leak and the missing chemical, she said.
Park officials initially thought the spill was limited to a sanitary sewer and did not notify authorities, Blackham said. When they realized the chemical made it to a storm drain, they contacted the health department, she said.
Health officials are unsure exactly how much of the chemical spilled into the creek. The tank holds up to 1,000 gallons and was relatively full when the spill occurred, but the leak was very small over time, she said.
