Louisville's water is clean, city says, with barges loose on Ohio River. What happens next?

The scene might not be pretty at the McAlpine Dam along the Ohio River, but Louisville officials say the city's water is safe to drink.

Nearly a dozen barges got loose early Tuesday morning along the waterway, with three eventually settling against the dam in western Louisville. One of the vessels still in the water is carrying 1,400 tons of the chemical methanol and is "partially submerged," according to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet.

There is "zero evidence" of a tank breach or any leaks, Louisville Metro Emergency Services said, but air and water quality in the city are being monitored. The dam is located downriver from the Louisville Water Co.'s water intake, with the company noting there is "no impact" on the city's water quality.

"Your water is safe to drink," company spokesperson Kathleen Speicher said Tuesday afternoon.

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Here's a quick look at what took place Tuesday, how the city has responded and the next steps.

What's the current status of the incident?

In a Thursday afternoon update, the city said no water samples that had been taken by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet in the aftermath of the incident had shown signs of methanol. Additional samples taken by the CTEH environmental consulting firm and specialists from EnviroScience also found no signs of the chemical.

Two barges remained settled against the dam as of 11 a.m. Thursday, a release from the city said, with crews expected to remain on site. Travel along the river was reopened at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

No spills have been detected, the city confirmed again Thursday. More than 141 air quality samples have been taken between 6 a.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, with all of them showing no detections of methanol. The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet is continuing to sample water in the river and will make those results public.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the incident. Personnel from that agency were on site Wednesday, along with officials from the city and state Emergency Management departments and several other groups. Ingram Barge Co. officials were also on hand.

Ingram CEO John Roberts said his company was "not the operator" at the time of the incident but the company is "going to be responsible for getting (the barges) off in a safe manner."

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What happened Tuesday?

Ten out of 11 barges came loose from a tug, a boat that assists other vessels in and out of port, around 2 a.m. Tuesday, and "made contact with a stationary structure at the entrance to the Portland Canal near the McAlpine Lock and Dam," according to Jessica Wethington, spokesperson for Louisville Metro Emergency Services.

In addition to methanol, the barges were carrying soy and corn, officials said. All barges have been accounted for, though two remained lodged against the dam Wednesday early afternoon. One that had settled against the dam earlier had been removed by 1 p.m.

U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Heather Mattern did not have additional details to offer Wednesday about how the barges had gotten loose, saying the investigation into what had taken place is still ongoing.

What is methanol?

Methanol is also known as "wood alcohol," according to the U.S. Department of Energy. It's a versatile chemical used in hundreds of products, including motor fuel, synthetics and paint, and is also used in manufacturing other chemicals.

Methanol is dangerous if consumed. Drinking small amounts of the chemical can be fatal, according to the Methanol Institute, a trade association for the industry, although methanol poisoning is generally treatable at a hospital if diagnosed between 10-30 hours of ingestion. Symptoms of methanol poisoning can include nausea, vomiting, blurred or complete loss of vision, abdominal pain, seizures and comas.

Still, city officials said there is no evidence the chemical had spilled into the Ohio River, and water in the region is safe to drink, according to Louisville Water Co. Methanol evaporates when exposed to air, dissolves quickly in water and is "readily biodegradable," according to environmental consulting firm CTEH.

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What happens next?

Work crews were set to remain at the McAlpine Dam until late Wednesday night or early Thursday, according to a release from the city, to assess damage and determine operational objectives moving forward. Monitoring of air quality will continue "until the situation is fully resolved," the city release said, and water sampling will continue as well.

"Safety is the top priority of the operation – safety of the public and first responder personnel," the Louisville Metro Emergency Services statement said.

Another update from the city just before noon Thursday said crews will remain on site until Friday determining the next steps.

Cleanup "will take some time," Mattern said, as officials prioritize safety.

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The nearest water intake location along the Ohio River in Kentucky is in Henderson, about 200 miles west of Louisville. Officials in that city are monitoring the situation, Henderson Water Utility treatment superintendent Josh Thompson said Tuesday, but were not concerned about water quality in the city at that time.

While no methanol is believed to have spilled at this time, there is some good news either way — the chemical is "fairly volatile," Thompson said, and even large amounts would likely dissipate quickly in a waterway as large as the Ohio River.

Rob Blair, a represtentative from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet who spoke at Wednesday's press conference in Louisville, said even if all the methanol were to be released into the water, it would likely dissipate after traveling about 15 miles downstream. Local aquatic life would be impacted, he said, but water intake in Henderson and the surrounding region would be safe.

Update: Louisville Metro Emergency Services initially reported 1,400 metric tons of methanol were on a barge. This story was updated to reflect that total is 1,400 tons.

Reporter and editor Lucas Aulbach contributed. Reach The Courier Journal's breaking news team at lounews@courier-journal.com.