Students who were hospitalized yesterday after drinking water contaminated with propylene glycol said they had noticed the water was pink before they drank it, but continued drinking because the water tasted sweet. The water supply at PS 20 in Flushing was contaminated with the nontoxic anti-freeze when a worker from Bayside Refrigeration accidentally got some of the chemical into the drinking water supply.
Deputy Environmental Protection Commissioner Jim Roberts told the Daily News, "The company clearly made a mistake." However, it's unclear just how the chemical got mixed in, as the two systems are usually contained separately. The worker would have had to pour the chemical into the wrong system.
All the affected students are expected to make a full recovery, but parents are worried about the effect the chemical may have. Though officials are testing the water supply, one grandmother took her own water sample and plans on getting it independently tested to make sure the school is telling the truth. The school has reopened since yesterday's incident, but is now distributing bottled water to thirsty students.
