PETITIONED HEALTH CONSULTATION
HOLIDAY UTILITIES
TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA
The potential human exposure pathways for contaminants at this site were ingestion and dermal contact. In response to the petition, ATSDR evaluated all available information to determine if residents are potentially exposed to hazardous contaminants. ATSDR personnel visited the site and contacted local, state, federal environmental and health agencies to gather information in regards to the petitioner's concerns. ATSDR found no documentation supporting the petitioner's claim that the Pinellas county site, or any property occupied by Holiday Utilities, was previously an uncontrolled landfill. ATSDR learned that Holiday Utilities does not take surface water from these drainage ponds to supply municipal water to customers. These ponds are located on fenced private property and collect runoff from adjacent properties and streets. All water supplied to customers comes from wells dug within the Floridian aquifer at the two distribution locations (5). Although there are no sampling data available for these drainage ponds, occasional exposure would not likely result in ill health effects.
On March 24, 1999, ATSDR contacted Holiday Utilities to request any environmental sampling data that were available on well water quality conducted by a certified laboratory. In accordance with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Drinking Water Section, water monitoring analyses are conducted every three years. ATSDR received 1997 data for both well distribution facilities Westwood Subdivisions and Anclote Village (6,7). The monitoring results for the Anclote distribution site revealed that lead was the only contaminant detected in the wells that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) action level of 15 ppb (6). The maximum level found for lead was 25 ppb. However, the average concentration of lead detected was found to be below 15 ppb and would not be of public health concern. Therefore, exposure to lead in the drinking water at that concentration is not likely to cause adverse human health effects. FDEP also requires that bacteriological analysis be conducted for drinking water. Fecal coliforms counts were negative for both Holiday Utility distribution sites.
In 1998, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IV reviewed 1989 analytical sampling results obtained for the Holiday Utility's well (Anclote Village) serving the Gulfside Elementary School. The 1989 investigation report indicated that radon concentrations were almost 5,000 picocuries/L. The Florida Department of Human Services does not consider radon concentration less than 30,000 pCi/L in water to be of public health concern and the levels found in Tarpon Springs were not considered uncommon for state wells (8). Thallium was not detected in water samples obtained in December, 1997 from either distribution centers. Holiday Utilities performs all required water monitoring tests under state law (9). The state has indicated that air radon levels inside Gulfside Elementary School have been within acceptable limits (8). Therefore, the Holiday Utilities site represents a no apparent health hazzard based on a review of the available water data and in consideration of health concerns. Since this is a source of municipal water, the FDEP will continue to monitor for contaminants in the future.
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