High chlorine levels found in pond where fish died

By: Rex Springston | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: February 06, 2012

State environmental officials today found high chlorine levels in a Henrico County pond in which fish died several days ago.

"We have reopened our investigation" of the fish kill, said Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Quality.

About 1,100 fish died in two ponds -- one of about three acres, one smaller -- in Winchester Green in western Henrico County.

DEQ officials said last week that they believed the fish were killed by chlorinated water that gushed into the ponds from a Jan. 27 break in a nearby drinking-water line. Henrico officials have said all along that they were skeptical of that.

A DEQ biologist today ran two tests in the larger pond. The tests found chlorine levels of 0.20 and 0.21 parts per million in the water -- more than 10 times the legal limit 0.019 ppm.

The DEQ will run more tests to get a better idea of what's happening in the pond and to help determine how to address the problem, Hayden said.

Chlorine usually dissipates fairly quickly in the open air. "It's surprising that chlorine was detected so long after the event," Hayden said.

However, Henrico treats its drinking water with, among other things, chloramines -- chemicals that contain chlorine and ammonia. Chlorine in chloramines lasts longer in water than chlorine by itself, experts say.

Bill Mawyer, Henrico's assistant director of public utilities, said the county will also test the pond water.

Mawyer said he can't recall a water-line break causing a fish kill before. "This is a unique circumstance for us."

He added, "We will be working with the DEQ and cooperating with them on what needs to be done, but we do not have a standard protocol for this type of situation."