US Steel shut down portions of its Midwest plant in Portage, Indiana after a chemical spill Wednesday, the company said. A spike of hexavalent chromium above the 0.51 pounds-per-day limit was detected, and the company subsequently shut down its chrome treatment plant, tin line, and chrome lines. Those portions of the mill will remain closed while the company investigates the cause of the spill.
Indiana American Water shut down its treatment plant in nearby Ogden Dunes as a precaution, with water treatment services shifting to its Borman Park plant in Gary, Indiana.
The office of Portage Mayor John Cannon issued a statement saying, “The City of Portage finds that any excess release above the permitted amounts unacceptable. Any amount of heavy metals that enter our water system, above the permit level, could pose serious risk to both the environment, drinking water or in the absolute worst case a risk to human health. The exact amount of chemical released has not been disclosed. The City of Portage Mayor will continue to push tighter restrictions, clearer protocols and improvement on communication in such events.”
According to Indiana state records, US Steel’s Midwest Plant has exceeded chromium limits in its water pollution permit at least four times since 2013.