Authorities Scramble After Possible Water Poisoning, But Keep Mum

On Friday, Dec. 15, a man dumped 220 grams of the "rapidly fatal" poisonous chemical potassium cyanide down a Bucks County stormwater drain, he admitted to law enforcement. Environmental agencies scrambled to find the dump site, law enforcement — including the FBI — was called in, water treatment plants were on high alert, and a water intake in Perkiomen was even shut down.

And yet, the public did not learn about this incident until nearly two months later, when 60-year-old Richard O'Rourke was charged by the Montgomery County District Attorney with causing or risking catastrophe in connection with the alleged incident.

RELATED: Merck Chemist Charged With Dumping Poison Found Dead: Police

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection stated in a subsequent report that there "was a real threat to the downstream drinking water intakes and aquatic life" as a result of the incident, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

At the request of the DEP, the Delaware River Basin Commission prepared models that indicated "there was a concern of toxicity for human health." The computer models showed toxic levels of potassium cyanide — a poisonous chemical that interferes with the body's ability to use oxygen, according to the CDC — could be present at the point of intake for water treatment plants servicing Philadelphia and Montgomery counties.

Water treatment facilities, including Aqua PA and Philadelphia Water Department, were put on high alert and remained as such through Dec. 29.

Aqua PA went so far as to shut down its Perkiomen water intake. Its Neshaminy water intake underwent increased security, testing and water samplings as a result of the possible exposure, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Potassium cyanide was never located in the public water stream. No one became ill, and there were no adverse effects in the long run. Authorities believe significant rainfall that happened following the dumping was likely sufficient in flushing the chemical out of the inlet, thereby preventing it from entering the water supply.

Still, many residents who have become aware of the situation in its aftermath have asked why the public was not alerted in real time.

O'Rourke, employed as a senior chemist at a Merck lab in Upper Gwynedd Township, said he took the poison to kill rodents on his property. A police investigation revealed he dumped the highly-toxic chemical after becoming aware a coworker had alerted company officials.

RELATED: Merck Chemist Stole Poisonous Chemical, Dumped It Into Inlet: DA

Readers have flooded Patch Facebook pages with comments on the situation, and concerns about the lack of communication.

"Poison dumped into the water 2 months ago and you’re just telling people now?," one reader asked.

"This happened in December and we are only hearing about this now?," another said.

And more: "So if this happened on December 15 why are we just now hearing about this?"

The answer to those questions is unclear.

Firstly, it is not known precisely where O'Rourke dumped the chemical. He "freely admitted" to investigators he took it from Merck and then dumped it the next day after he was clued in to the investigation. A coworker who saw him in the act of taking the chemical from the poison cabinet first alerted Merck, who subsequently contacted the police.

O'Rouke said he couldn't remember the exact inlet where he poured the chemical, because it was snowing the day he dumped it. He did know it was in the area of County Line Road and Street Road, somewhere between Easton Road and Second Street Pike.

On two separate occasions, on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, O'Rourke and police drove around that seven-plus square mile area but he was not able to recall the inlet he had previously visited.

According to the affidavit, the PA DEP subsequently undertook "substantial efforts" to locate the dump site and continued to monitor the water for signs of toxicity.

Neil Shader, press secretary for the PA DEP, confirmed in a statement to Patch that the agency provided requested support to law enforcement in the investigation and alerted the appropriate public water systems.

"Throughout DEP’s part of the investigation there has been no evidence of water contamination, nor any environmental impacts or human health impacts related to this situation," Shader said.

He referred all questions regarding communication to the public about the matter to local law enforcement.

While the dump site was reported to be in Warrington, the lead local police department on the case was Upper Gwynedd because that is where the Merck laboratory is located.

Warrington Police Chief Daniel Friel said he did not have further insight into the public notification process. His department was an assisting agency on the case, he said.

"I can tell you that once police became aware, we all worked together and all of the proper agencies including the DEP were notified," Friel told Patch.

Aqua Pennsylvania, which shut an intake and had another on high-alert status, made no public notification because no cyanide was detected, spokeswoman Donna Alston told Patch.

Alston said the water company followed the protocol set by local law enforcement officials.

"It's important to note that had we discovered a threat to public health during our increased monitoring during this time, we would have notified our customers according to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection rules," she said.

O'Rourke was arraigned and posted bail, which was set at $35,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6.

PHOTO: Montgomery County DA