Start pumping

August 7, 2013

TEPCO to pump out contaminated groundwater

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130808_03.html

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it will start pumping out contaminated groundwater in an attempt to stop it from leaking into the ocean.

Tokyo Electric Power Company says it will begin work on Friday.

The company has been solidifying an embankment to prevent groundwater from leaking into the ocean.
But there are concerns that the level of tainted groundwater has already overflowed the embankment.

The company says it will bore a small-scale well near the embankment and then pump out contaminated water in an effort to lower the water level.

The utility says it will then sink nearly 30 pipes measuring 5 meters long into the ground along the embankment and pump out groundwater from them as well starting next week.
It hopes to drain 100 tons of water per day.

Industry ministry officials said on Wednesday that 300 tons of tainted water is estimated to be leaking into the ocean daily.
TEPCO says it still does not know the exact amount of water that is leaking.

The utility has also failed so far to identify the cause of a recent surge in the radiation levels of groundwater in a well in the plant. The well was newly built near an underground tunnel where highly radioactive water had collected.
A government panel will meet on Thursday to discuss how best to deal with the contaminated groundwater.