TOXIC SOUP THAT WASN'T

Soon after Katrina struck, much was made of the "toxic soup" flooding New Orleans. I can clearly recall TV news reports that the hazard was so great relief workers who were splashed were to be immediately hosed down and held for medical observation. Well, the water wasn't so bad after all:

Data indicate that Hurricane Katrina floodwater... is a brackish, well-buffered water with low concentrations of volatile and semivolatile organic pollutants. Chemical oxygen demand and nutrients are elevated, but similar in magnitude to those of normal stormwater. Several metals, including Pb, As, and Cr, approached, and in some cases exceeded, drinking water standards. Fecal coliforms were very elevated compared with primary contact water standards but, again, were similar in magnitude to what is found in typical stormwater runoff from the area. Collectively, these data indicate that Katrina floodwater is similar to normal stormwater runoff but with somewhat elevated Pb and VOC [volatile organic compounds] concentrations. What distinguishes Katrina floodwaters are their large volume and the human exposure to these pollutants that accompanied the flood rather than extremely elevated concentrations of toxic pollutants.

So, the New Orleans stormwater turns out to be, well, stormwater.

Update: Arts & Letters Daily links to a more detailed article with lots of links for those wanting to know more.