Cooling Water Tower Passivation Odor

The site deployed a third-party environmental company to investigate the odor reports in the community.

An internal investigation into the cause of the odor was also initiated and remains underway. It has been determined the stroke controller inside one of the Cooling Water Tower’s two bleach-injection pumps was found to have malfunctioned due to a loss of power; releasing a greater amount of bleach from the pump than anticipated into the passivation (treatment to prevent corrosion) cooling water (containing sodium tolyltriazole). The combination of bleach and sodium tolyltriazole was analyzed in a lab and the odor present in September was replicated, confirming the cause.

A replacement chemical for the sodium tolyltriazole has been identified.

It is chlorotolyltriazole, and its chemical formulation is such that it will not produce odors when combined with bleach, while remaining effective in performing passivation activities. While passivation activities for the Cooling Water Tower were completed, the same chemicals are used at lower concentrations to prevent corrosion. The health and safety of our community, contractors and employees are our number one priority. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank our neighbors who reached out to notify us.