A chemical spill at US Steel’s Portage, Indiana facility closed two Lake Michigan beaches Tuesday. The spill from the plant’s wastewater discharge contained hexavalent chromium, a toxic byproduct of industrial processes, according to an EPA spokeswoman.
The EPA also reported that as a result of the spill, Indiana American Water Company, the municipal water source closest to the spill, has shut down its water intake and will use reserve water as a matter of caution. The EPA has said hexavalent chromium might be carcinogenic if ingested.
"EPA is working with the company to contain the spill. At this time, it's not known how much has been spilled," the EPA spokeswoman said in a statement, adding the EPA is monitoring the waterway and Lake Michigan. "This sampling does not show that the hexavalent chromium has reached Lake Michigan."
The beaches were closed as a precaution for the health and safety of park visitors, according to the lakeshore's supervisory park ranger and public information officer. The EPA is working with US Steel and federal, state and local partners to investigate the spill.