#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: TEPCO to Release 'Uncontaminated' Groundwater to Pacific Ocean, Starting Later This Month

Here we go. TEPCO plans to discharge water from the wells that they have dug to intercept part of the groundwater before it leaks into the reactor buildings, into the Pacific Ocean.

400 tonnes of groundwater go into the basements of the reactor buildings every day. The 14 wells to intercept that water can only divert about one-quarter of it. It is better than no diversion, but not by much.

TEPCO has been laying the pipes to transport the water from the wells to the ocean.

As a measure to decrease the amount of groundwater going into the reactor building, this is not much of a help, but it is precedent-making. Discharge of groundwater into the Pacific Ocean, albeit supposedly uncontaminated water for now, may start as soon as this month, with the local fishing industry set to approve the plan.

The TEPCO's true desire is no secret: to discharge water treated by ALPS (multi-nuclide removal system), clean of almost all radionuclides except for tritium, which there is no effective way to remove.

From Kahoku Shinpo (5/8/2013):

福島原発地下水、月内にも海へ　東電「安全性問題ない」

Groundwater at Fukushima I Nuke Plant to be discharged to the ocean this month, TEPCO says "No safety problem"

東京電力は福島第１原発の放射能汚染水対策として、敷地内でくみ上げた地下水を海に放出する方針を固めた。「汚染前の水で安全性に問題はない」とし、地元市町村や漁業関係者の了承を得て５月中にも踏み切る。

TEPCO plans to release the groundwater drawn from the wells inside the plant compound into the ocean, as part of the measures to deal with water contaminated with radioactive materials at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. According to TEPCO, the groundwater is not contaminated as the water is drawn before it gets contaminated, and there is no problem of safety. After obtaining the approval from the local municipalities and fishing industry, the company will start [releasing the water] before May is over.

構内では大量の地下水が１～４号機の原子炉建屋に流れ込み、原子炉冷却水と混ざって１日約４００トンの放射能汚染水がたまり続けている。放水対象は建屋に流入する前にポンプでくみ上げた地下水で、「放射性セシウム１３７の濃度は１リットル当たり１ベクレル以下で通常の地下水と変わらない」（東電）としている。

A large amount of groundwater leaks into the reactor buildings of Reactors 1-4, which then mixes with the reactor cooling water to generate about 400 tonnes of contaminated water per day. The water to be released into the ocean is the groundwater that is drawn by pumps [into the wells] before it reaches the reactor buildings, and according to TEPCO, "Density of cesium-137 is less than 1 Bq/liter, and it is no different from normal groundwater."

東電は１３日の福島県漁連の組合長会議で方針を伝え、理解を求める。県漁連は「注意深く水質検査しながら行ってほしい」（野崎哲会長）と承認する考えだ。

TEPCO will announce the plan on May 13 at a meeting of the heads of the Federations of Fishery Cooperatives in Fukushima Prefecture, and try to win their understanding. The Federations' president (Tetsu Nozaki) is set to approve the plan, as he says "We would like [TEPCO] to proceed by carefully testing the water [for radioactive materials]."

渡辺敬夫いわき市長は「東電が『汚染されていない』と言っても消費者は理解してくれるのか。現時点では承知できない」と話した。

Takao Watanabe, Mayor of Iwaki City, says "Will consumers accept TEPCO's word that "it is not contaminated"? I cannot approve [the plan] at this point."

"At this point" is the key for Mayor Watanabe. He is free to change his opinion on May 13, or any other day. He can also join other mayors and farmers and fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture in crying "baseless rumors" by ignorant consumers.

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