COLUMBUS, Ohio — Giant Eagle has temporarily stopped selling water sourced from a facility about 25 miles southwest of East Palestine, nearly three weeks after a toxic train derailment in the area.
The grocer, "out of an abundance of caution," removed all gallon-size or larger Giant Eagle brand spring water made at a facility in Salineville from its Giant Eagle, Market District and GetGo stores.
Dan Donovan, a Giant Eagle spokesperson, said the company has been closely monitoring the impact of the Feb. 3 derailment. He said the company has been in contact with representatives from the facility and learned the water used in the water containers comes from a protected spring located at a higher elevation than East Palestine.
Donovan said the spring is not near ground water sourced directly impacted by the incident.
"The Salineville facility also informed us that a third-party lab has been regularly testing Salineville’s raw water sources and finished products and has not found any evidence that the water has been negatively impacted by the February 3 incident," Donovan said.
The gallon-size-or-greater spring water will not be sold in Giant Eagle stores as the company evaluates ongoing testing and potential impacts to the spring source.