Byhalia, MS – Private Well Water Contamination

At the request of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responding to the detection of trichloroethylene (TCE), a volatile organic compound, in certain private drinking water wells in DeSoto and Marshall counties in northern Mississippi, near Byhalia.

The immediate priority is reducing potential exposure. Residents and businesses that use private wells in the identified area are being advised to use alternate sources of water for certain purposes. Bottled water and, in some cases, home filters are being provided for drinking and cooking where needed.

The presence of TCE in groundwater is typically associated with historical industrial or solvent releases. At this time, the source and full extent of the contamination are still being investigated by MDEQ. EPA sampling is ongoing to determine which wells are affected and to define the boundaries of the impacted area. 

EPA is assisting MDEQ by working to provide bottled water and whole house filters to properties with TCE contamination above the Federal Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for TCE of 5 parts per billion (ppb). An MCL is the highest concentration of a specific contaminant allowed in public water systems by the Safe Drinking Water Act. 

EPA’s response is being managed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) emergency response framework.

EPA will continue to coordinate with state and local partners to ensure impacted residents are identified, informed and provided with appropriate resources while the investigation continues. Additional updates will be provided as more sampling data becomes available, and the scope of the response is further defined.

For more information, please contact Ronald Tolliver, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator at (404) 852-9751 or tolliver.ronald@epa.gov.