On March 24, a leak at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township, Philadelphia caused up to 120,000 liters of latex emulsion to spill into the Delaware River. 

Concerned residents were told to continue to use tap water for the days immediately following the incident. The reason for this is the contaminated river water would take time to reach and enter the water treatment plant, and from there, the taps of local homes and businesses.  

Stay Calm & Drink the Water? 

Within hours, store shelves were cleared of bottled water. Repeated assurances from officials that the tap water was – for now – safe, failed to quell the panic buying. Years of headlines about water contamination scandals have …