BALTIMORE COUNTY — Thousands of gallons of contaminated water are heading to Baltimore from last month's train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. It's something that has local organizations concerned.
A last minute meeting was held at Dock of the Bay at Miller's Island where the residents are shouting the same message, "don't dump it here."
"What are we going to find out in five years, 10 years, how sick are people going to be? We don't find out a lot of these things until it's too late,” said Desiree Greaver, Back River Restoration Committee Project Manager.
675,000 gallons of contaminated water are set to go to the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. Baltimore City currently runs the plant.
RELATED: Baltimore receiving 675k gallons of wastewater from Ohio train derailment
The Federal Environmental Protection Agency approved the plan. The contractor, Clean Harbor, will filter and pre-treat the water before sending it to the plant and discharging it at Back River.
"Is that going to get into our water ways which in turn is going to get into our homes? It's not only going to make our homes unsafe, it's going to make our people just sick,” said Miller Island resident Bobbi Hodson.
Residents at Miller's Island are expressing big health concerns of potential toxic materials. After the derailment back in February, neighborhoods in East Palestine were evacuated and tens of thousands of fish died.
It's something they don't want to see happen here.
"My concern is the toxic waste, not only will it kill the rest of the fish, it's detrimental to your health, cancerous,” expressed Keith Taylor, Miller's Island resident.
Some say the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant has still not recovered from the explosion that happened almost two weeks ago.
RELATED: Fiery Explosion reported at Back River Waste Water Treatment Plant in Dundalk
"Backwater Treatment Plant can't handle what they already have, how are they going to handle what's being sent to them from out in Ohio,” asked Hodson.
Greaver said, "we're being told that they haven't processed solids in over a week so that's going to back up into the plant, so what's that going to do with that situation and then we're potentially taking on hazardous chemicals?”
Residents say they've been fighting long enough for the plant to be fixed and run properly, and they shouldn't have to fight to turn away contaminated water.
Mayor Scott made an announcement Monday saying he is taking action, after a review, he said DPW can deny requests from outside groups to dump water here.
He said in part, " I have directed DPW to modify Clean Harbor’s discharge permit to deny their request to discharge processed wastewater from the cleanup of the Norfolk Southern Railroad derailment into the city’s wastewater system after processing at a clean harbors facility. Clean Harbors has facilities across the country that may be better positioned to dispose of the treated wastewater, and we urge them to explore those alternatives."
