Major NJ Supermarket Pulls Water Sourced Near Toxic Train Spill

NEW JERSEY — Stop & Shop has removed gallon-sized jugs of Acadia spring water from its New Jersey shelves temporarily, the company said.

This is "out of an abundance of caution," a representative said, as the water is bottled near the site of a hazardous Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3.

The fiery crash forced evacuations in the small community near the Pennsylvania border, when officials decided to release and burn five tanker cars filled with vinyl chloride, rather than risk the train cars exploding. Authorities also evacuated a small town in western PA.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said last week it now estimates spilled contaminants affecting several miles of streams killed nearly 44,000 fish, mostly small ones such as minnows.

Residents in multiple states have expressed concerns about the chemical runoff from the spilled cars affecting their drinking water, and the fumes from the burning vinyl chloride making them sick. Officials in West Virginia and Pennsylvania have been monitoring water quality; lawmakers in PA are also calling for the formal suspension of the rule allowing the transportation of liquid gas by rail.

The gallon jugs sold by Stop & Shop are sourced from a facility in Columbiana County, Ohio, a representative said; East Palestine is in that same county.

The store is only pulling the gallon size of Acadia spring water off its shelves, said Stop & Shop representative Maura O'Brien.

"All other sizes of bottled Acadia water sold at Stop & Shop are produced at another location by a different supplier," said O'Brien, the external communications and community relations manager.

O'Brien said the supplier tests water quality regularly and said tests have not revealed any harmful byproducts in the water. She said the company will return the product to shelves if tests "continue to demonstrate there are no safety concerns."

"If a customer is concerned with a recent purchase of this item, they can visit their local Stop & Shop store for a full refund., she added.