Skip directly to: content | left navigation | search
  1. ATSDR > Public Health Assessments & Consultations

PETITIONED PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT

COUNTRY CLUB LAKE ESTATES
HATTIESBURG, FORREST COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI


CONCLUSIONS

  1. The lakes on Mineral Creek near Hattiesburg, Mississippi, represent a public health hazard because the levels of pentachlorophenol, dioxins, and furans present in the fish exceed public health guidelines. Fish consumption is the most hazardous completed exposure pathway. Other possible exposures of health concern are exposures to contaminated off-site sediments and on-site soils.

  2. Current data are insufficient to determine the extent of contamination in fish downstream of Country Club Lake or whether consumption of those fish presents an increased cancer risk.

  3. Data inadequacies include the following:

    1. The actual extent of groundwater contamination has not been identified.

    2. Off-site surface water samples have been analyzed for polychlorinated dioxins and furans; however, analytical detection limits were higher than current laboratory standards; thus ATSDR's evaluation of the dioxin and furan data is limited for off-site surface water.

    3. Additional monitoring of fish tissue downstream of Country Club Lake is necessary to determine the current geographical range of contaminated fish.

    4. Additional sampling of on-site surface soil is needed to better characterize the extent of contamination.

    5. Further research is needed to determine possible health effects and environmental and health guidelines for 2-methylnaphthalene.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Cease/Reduce Exposure Recommendations

  1. Consumption of fish from Country Club Lake should be banned until additional analyses of fish indicate ingestion of fish is safe.

  2. Public access should be restricted from the on-site contaminated soil and sediments.

  3. Employee exposure to on-site contaminated soil should be minimized or prevented.

  4. Off-site migration of contaminants, particularly surface-water runoff and erosion of soil, should be minimized.

Site Characterization Recommendations

  1. A representative number of fish should be sampled from the waters of Mineral Creek, and near the confluence with Bowie River, to define the geographical range of pentachlorophenol and dioxin contaminated fish.

  2. For future monitoring pentachlorophenol and polychlorinated dioxin and furan analyses of fish, collected from the defined geographical range, should be conducted to establish the existence or trend of contamination (e.g., decreasing number of contaminated fish, decreasing concentrations, etc.).

  3. Fillet sampling should be conducted to evaluate the edible portions.

  4. Sediment samples should be collected from around the lakes and other popular stretches along Mineral Creek where human contact is most likely to occur. If concentrations are significant at the juncture of Mineral Creek and Bowie River, then sampling should be continued downstream to characterize the extent of contamination. All sediment samples should be analyzed for pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated dioxins and furans.

  5. The two Johnson Utility Company wells near the site should be analyzed for pentachlorophenol and polychlorinated dioxins and furans. Similar sampling should be done for the Arnold Line wells, if groundwater characterization indicates off-site groundwater contamination near the Arnold Line wells.

  6. On-site groundwater should be characterized to establish groundwater flow direction and any contamination plume that may exist. Off-site groundwater characterization should be conducted, if necessary, to define the extent of contamination.

  7. The private drinking water well near the site should be analyzed for polychlorinated dioxins and furans. If contamination is detected, further work (sampling or modeling) to define the extent of contamination and closure of the well should be initiated.

  8. Soil samples should be collected from areas of the golf course where irrigation from the pond was most widely used. The soil samples should be analyzed for pentachlorophenol and polychlorinated dioxins and furans.

  9. A representative number of on- and off-site subsurface and surface soil samples surrounding the site should be analyzed for pentachlorophenol and polychlorinated dioxins and furans to define the depth and geographical range of contamination.

HEALTH ACTIVITIES RECOMMENDATION PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS

Data and information developed in the Country Club Lake Estates Petitioned Public Health Assessment have been evaluated by the Health Activities Recommendation Panel for appropriate public health actions. Possible exposures to contaminants pose a public health threat. The Health Activities Recommendation Panel believes that the potentially exposed population needs assistance in understanding their potential for exposure and in assessing any possible adverse health effects in their community. Therefore, the panel recommends community health education as a health follow-up action. ATSDR should interact with the community and the state to provide needed information and to seek feedback from residents about their concerns and information needs. Because the population exposed is not well defined, and the levels and duration of exposure are not known, health studies are not indicated at this time. ATSDR will evaluate any new data or information it receives about this site to determine what public health actions, if any, might be appropriate.


PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

The actions described in this section for Country Club Lake Estate are actions that will be taken by ATSDR. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that the petitioned public health assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to mitigate and prevent adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous substances in the environment. The public health actions to be implemented by ATSDR are as follows:

  1. The Agency will provide environmental health education for the community to make them aware of the possible hazards present, the likelihood of exposure, and to assist the community in assessing possible adverse health outcomes associated with exposure to hazardous substances.

  2. ATSDR will contact appropriate federal and state officials to obtain additional data or new data as it becomes available. ATSDR will ensure recommendations made in this petitioned public health assessment are forwarded to the appropriate agencies for action.

  3. If any new data are found to be of significant public health concern, the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation will revise the Country Club Lake Estates Petitioned Public Health Assessment as appropriate.

  4. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality proposes to conduct sampling of soil at the golf course, sediment at the golf course irrigation pond, and any utility wells within a mile radius of the site for pentachlorophenol, dioxins, and furans. The drinking water well closest to the site will be sampled for dioxins and furans.

ATSDR will reevaluate and expand its Public Health Actions when needed. New environmental, toxicological, or health outcome data, or the results of implementing the above proposed actions, might determine the need for additional actions at this site.


PREPARERS OF THE REPORT

Preparers of Report:

    Jeff Church, B.S.
    Environmental Health Scientist
    Community Health Branch
    Division of Health Assessment and Consultation

    Thomas Umbreit, Ph.D.
    Toxicologist
    Community Health Branch
    Division of Health Assessment and Consultation


ATSDR Regional Representative:

    Robert Safay
    Environmental Health Specialist
    EPA Region IV

REFERENCES

  1. Davis Timber Company. Report accompanying a cover letter requesting a NPDES permit. June 25, 1986.

  2. Davis Timber Company. Response to Complaint by Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality. October 2, 1989.

  3. Batson and Brown, Inc. Engineering Study of Waste Water Disposal for Davis Timber Company, Inc. March 1977.

  4. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Site trip report. April 20, 1990.

  5. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Petition letter to ATSDR. December 12, 1989.

  6. U.S. Census Population and Housing, 1990. Summary tape file 1A prepared by Bureau of Census (machine readable file). Washington: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1991.

  7. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Rawls Springs Elementary School. April 8, 1991.

  8. American Laboratories and Research Services, Inc. Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxin and Dibenzofuran contaminants in Dr. Phillips' Lake Report No. 1. March 1990.

  9. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with County Planning Office. May 10, 1991.

  10. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with the county agent. May 17, 1991.

  11. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Lamar County Department of Economic Development. May 13, 1991.

  12. Mississippi Air and Water Pollution Control Commission. Memorandum to Charles Chisolm. December 19, 1974.

  13. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Mississippi Wildlife Department. May 8, 1991.

  14. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Forrest County Health Department. February 11, 1992.

  15. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Work Plan for the SI-Phase II at Davis Timber Company. August 21, 1991.

  16. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Mississippi Water Supply Division. February 11, 1992.

  17. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Arnold Line Water Association. February 10, 1992.

  18. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Lamar County Health Department. February 11, 1992.

  19. Law Environmental Services. Closure Plan For Davis Timber Company. November 1987.

  20. Law Environmental Services. Preliminary Hydrogeologic Report, job number: HA6343. August 12, 1986.

  21. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Letter from local Resident. October 4, 1989.

  22. HAZDAT Database. EPA/ATSDR hazardous substance database. July 1991.

  23. National Library of Medicine. Toxic Chemical Release Inventory database. July 1991.

  24. Culpepper Testing Laboratories. Groundwater analyses. August 25, 1986.

  25. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Forms. August 3, 1987.

  26. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Groundwater analysis by Enseco. September 18, 1990.

  27. Environmental Protection Agency. Interim Procedures for Estimating Risks Associated with Exposures to Mixtures of Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and -Dibenzofurans and 1989 Update. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency, Risk Assessment Forum, March 1989; EPA document no. 625/3- 89/016.

  28. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with EPA. June 20, 1991.

  29. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Analytical results for Phase II Site Investigation. October 22, 1991.

  30. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Forms. July 29, 1987.

  31. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Analytical results. September 19, 1990.

  32. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Soil and sediment analysis by Enseco. February 19, 1991.

  33. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Memorandum to Davis Timber File. May 5, 1992.

  34. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Untitled chronological report of interaction with Davis Timber Company, listed as, "Attachment 1". November 1989.

  35. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Forms. January 26, 1987.

  36. Johnson Utility Company. Routine drinking water analysis. December 5, 1988.

  37. Mote Marine Laboratory. Report on environmental contamination. June 28, 1988.

  38. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. An Environmental Assessment of Country Club Lake. 1988.

  39. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Forms. December 16, 1974 to January 26, 1987.

  40. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Form. January 24, 1979.

  41. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Sample Request Form. January 27, 1981.

  42. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Memorandum to Mr. Richard H. Pierce, Jr. January 26, 1977.

  43. Mississippi Department of Natural Resources. Memorandum to Mr. John Harper. February 15, 1982.

  44. Environmental Protection Agency. Letter and enclosures to Mr. Phillip B. Bass. May 27, 1988.

  45. Environmental Protection Agency. Risk-Based Concentration Table. Roy L. Smith, EPA Region III. April 14, 1992

  46. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Mississippi Bureau of Pollution Control. Enseco analytical results for fish sampling conducted on April 18, 1990. June 27, 1990.

  47. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Memorandum to Mr. Russell Smith. May 28, 1992.

  48. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Record of Activity for telephone communication with Mr. James W. Pinson. July 11, 1991.

  49. Ensor P, Thomas R, Woolson E.A. Survey of Polychlorodibenzo- p-dioxin Content in Selected Pesticides. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry 1972;20:381-4.

  50. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p- dioxin. Atlanta: ATSDR, June 1989.

  51. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Pentachlorophenol. Atlanta: ATSDR, December 1990.

  52. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Toxicological Profile for Naphthalene and 2- methylnaphthalene. Atlanta: ATSDR, December 1990.

Next Section         Table of Contents








Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1825 Century Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30345
Contact CDC: 800-232-4636 / TTY: 888-232-6348 
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal
DHHS
Department of Health and Human Services