Recent reports claim that U.S. Steel is planning on spending $1.4 million in an attempt to treat water tainted by benzene. The decision involves building 11 wells surrounding its Gary Works complex near Lake Michigan to contain benzene-tainted water. Researchers found that the water has been leaking into the lake for several months and potentially putting the surrounding community at risk. The water was found to be contaminated by the toxic chemical known as benzene after officials analyzed the soil and groundwater.

Although neither U.S. Steel or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials are sure about how much benzene was in the lake, the company has concluded that there are benzene levels of 1 to 3 parts per million.

The EPA Discovers Benzene

"It’s not a level that’s showing any immediate risk," explains the project manager of the EPA, Tamara Ohl. "But it’s high enough. Clearly, we don’t want a situation where benzene is going into the lake.” 

Officials say that the benzene came from an older tank farm at the coke plant, which was removed several years ago. The tainted water was reportedly caused by a large crack in a lake breakwall that surrounds the plant. However, even though health officials have found what is causing the exposure to the lake, repairing the wall would require a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, would not fix the tainted groundwater problem, said U.S. Steel spokesman Charles Rice. 

U.S. Steel is expected to submit a treatment plan to state and federal environmental regulators by the end of this month. Plant officials said they hope to have the system operational by the summer or fall. 



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