TEPCO Reports Strontium-90 Water Contamination

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported yesterday that 750 tons of rainwater containing Strontium-90 may have seeped into the ground at the Fukushima-Daiichi cleanup site. Following heavy rains at the site, water accumulated in the outer dyke of the H4 tank area, which has had problems with leaking tanks in the past. TEPCO, though, made assurances that the contaminated water would not reach the ocean. “It has been confirmed that there is no inflow into the closest drainage channel located to the sea side of ‘H4’ area, nor any significant change in the monitored radioactivity level in the drainage,” TEPCO said in a release.“After taking initial measures such as pumping out rainwater from the outer dyke, the company said it will continue to take steps to contain rainwater such as further waterproofing the outer dyke.” TEPCO said it is investigating the cause of the rainwater contamination and will report its findings as soon as possible.