title: Accidental contamination of a German town's drinking water with sodium hydroxide.
abstract: Case report of a very serious drinking water incident putting up to 50,000 inhabitants of a town near Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at risk. A concentrated solution of highly alkaline water by sodium hydroxide was accidentally washed into the town's drinking water at a pumping station and increased the pH-value of the water to 12. Residents who came into contact with the contaminated water immediately had a toxic reaction. The incident was detected by complaints from customers and after that was stopped within several hours. The pipes were flushed and the customers were warned not to use the water till the all clear. After this immediate management there was an investigation and the cause of the incident was detected as an accidental release of accumulated sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. The lack of a network alarm system and the automatic cut-off mechanisms as deficiencies in the design of the station were rectified by the water company immediately after the incident.
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: luba.lendowski@ukb.uni-bonn.de.
authors: Luba
authors: L
authors: Lendowski
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Färber
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Holy
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Anke
authors: A
authors: Darius
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Ehrich
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Wippermann
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Küfner
authors: IHPH Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Bonn, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Exner
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012498:Sanitary Engineering; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014876:Water Pollution; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide
keywords: Alarm system; Contamination; Drinking water; Skin; Sodium hydroxide; Toxic reaction