NEW SCOTLAND — A chlorine leak was discovered Tuesday morning at the New Salem Water Treatment Facility, Bethlehem town officials announced.
The leak in a 150-pound cylinder used to disinfect town drinking water was found around 10 a.m., according to a statement from Public Works Commissioner Paul Penman. Town spokeswoman Leanne Ricchiuti said a worker at the plant first noticed the leak during routine maintenance. Workers immediately evacuated the building and notified agencies including local firefighters and Albany County’s Hazardous Materials Response Team.
The leak was quickly contained and has since been secured, Penman said. Air monitoring determined there was no impact outside of the plant and public drinking water was not impacted. The worker who discovered the leak was taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not report any symptoms or injuries.
The plant is located in New Scotland and provides water to the town of Bethlehem and parts of the town of New Scotland.
Often found in household products like bleach, chlorine is a gas that can also be dissolved in water or kept under pressure as a liquid, according to the CDC. If high amounts are breathed in, it can cause burning in the eyes, nose, lungs or throat, breathing problems including coughing up white- to pink-colored fluid, nausea or vomiting and skin pain, redness or blisters.