Measures and background.
The sanitary control of water intended for consumption is part of the prerogatives of the Regional Health Agency (ARS). In St. Martin, the formal and institutional search for bromates in drinking water does not seem to have been done up to the measurements made in May 2019. The only existing measures available to the EEASM are sporadic self-analyses carried out by the delegatee (GDE at the time) since 2010, when this measurement has been implemented by the decree of January 21, 2010 amending the decree of January 11, 2007 concerning the program of sampling and analysis of health control for water supplied by a distribution network.
While this element may at first glance seem worrisome since the production process has not changed since 2006, it is important that no major crisis related to the ingestion of bromates and the symptoms described by the ARS has been identified since then. The current measures are therefore precautionary.
New analyses of the bromate level have already been ordered by the EEASM with a strong demand for shorter delays in the restitution of the results so that the necessary corrective and/or palliative measures can be adapted as quickly as possible.
Reaction and outlook.
The EEASM is of course very concerned by this new data and is naturally engaged in increasing the quality of water delivered to the population. However, studies of the impact of bromates at such low levels on health are scarce, as the phenomenon has been globally identified only recently.
Since the production systems and production conditions are the same in Saint-Martin and Saint Barts which experiences a similar bromate-related situation, the EEASM had already asked its delegatee to both allow self-monitoring of bromate levels and provide the technical means for these rates to comply with the applicable standards (10 μg / l in France). Concerning the analyzes and deadlines which alter the rates, the material for immediate measures is now available locally in Saint Barts where the investment has been made by a private laboratory. Also, it is important to note that the rates recorded by the ARS in Saint-Martin in May 2019 are three times lower than those found in Saint Barths.
In the first time, physicochemical parameters along the production and distribution chain of drinking water will be modified in order to reduce these bromate levels.
In the medium term, the EEASM has started a deep renovation of the production system with a deadline of 8 months and the "bromate" date is naturally taken into account in this rehabilitation of the production tool.
The EEASM also intends to extend its partnership with the ARS so as to better the exchange of information between the two structures, particularly those related to water quality analyzes, and to improve the alert system for the population and the possible crisis management.
The bromates that develop over the distribution system are a direct consequence of the production practices and are a common element in all waters produced by desalination and are thus more and more monitored all over the world.
Immediate distribution to the most vulnerable.
Without delay, the Collectivité of Saint-Martin and the EEASM have decided to distribute water to the most vulnerable populations (Hospital, EHPAD, schools and public services more generally), The means of distribution and the beneficiaries may be adapted depending on the results and progress made to reduce these bromate levels.
Keep yourself posted!
We invite the general public to follow the press releases that the Collectivité and the EEASM will elaborate as the situation evolves.
A reminder of the instructions issued under the precautionary principle:
Prohibition of drinking, for cooking or brushing teeth
The water can be used for the following purposes: WC, cleaning surfaces, washing clothes and dishes, showers while being careful not to swallow it.
There is no risk of dermal absorption.
