Officials say the barrels were found at the Chau Ram State Park on the Chauga River in Oconee County. Oconee County Emergency Management Director Rodney Burdett says one barrel was found by park officials in the water.
Then after searching they found a second one. Both were in the water. The barrels were sealed and were labeled. Officials say the barrels were labeled to contain sodium hydrosulfite. It’s a powder form, used in different types of treatments such as sewage treatment facility.
Officials are not sure that is what is inside, but they are treating it as it is sodium hydrosulfite. They say what ever was in the barrels, there wasn't much of it and it didn't leak. The chemical reacts with water and could produce fumes that are toxic. They say if someone was breathing them in they could die.
They say if the chemicals leaked out, they do not believe there is any threat. They have tested the water and no contamination was found.
The river is upstream from the Westminster water treatment facility. They say Westminister water supply was never in danger. They do not know how the barrels got there.
The drums were turned over to Phillips Recovery Company of West Pelzer for decontamination and disposal.
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