Village Drinking Water System Shut Down

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by Steve Brawn

Story Created: Oct 9, 2009 at 9:06 AM AKST

Story Updated: Oct 5, 2010 at 12:12 PM AKST

The drinking water system in a town on an island in the Bering Sea a few dozen miles from Siberia has been shut down over fears it is contaminated with gasoline.

The problem in Gambell was discovered when the operator of the
Gambell Water Plant reported that the well house smelled of gasoline and water in the well had a sheen.

No source for the gasoline has been determined, but an empty 1-gallon can that had contained gasoline was found near the well.

Officials in Gambel, population about 670, are working with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to determine if the well and the water storage tanks are contaminated.

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