Chemical spill in West Virginia

[WoodysGirl]

Heard about it yesterday, but didn't realize the extent until this morning. You guys in WV ok?

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said early Friday in a statement that the federal government had approved a request of assistance in dealing with the chemical spill into the Elk River, which flows into the Kanawha River at Charleston.

“West Virginians in the affected service areas are urged not to use tap water for drinking, cooking, washing or bathing,” Gov. Tomblin said in declaring a state of emergency. The warning affected customers of the West Virginia American Water Company in Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Jackson, Lincoln, Logan, Roane and Putnam counties.

Many stores in the area quickly ran out of bottled water Thursday night as residents rushed to stock up, according to local media reports. Restaurants and businesses closed, and The Associated Press reported that schools as well as the State Legislature had canceled sessions on Friday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/11/us/west-virginia-chemical-spill.html?_r=0

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I live in Jackson county but we do not get our water from that water company.

However when the news first went out live they did not specify which water company or source was affected and only listed the counties. Later they clarified the situation.

Now they closed the schools in our county so they can use them as water distribution points for those that need water in our county or in surrounding counties if need be.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I live in Jackson county but we do not get our water from that water company.

However when the news first went out live they did not specify which water company or source was affected and only listed the counties. Later they clarified the situation.

Now they closed the schools in our county so they can use them as water distribution points for those that need water in our county or in surrounding counties if need be.

That's good to hear. Even so, I'd be a little hesitant to use it until they give the all clear.

Still in the early stages, but have they given any timeframe on how soon it could be resolved?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

That's good to hear. Even so, I'd be a little hesitant to use it until they give the all clear.

Still in the early stages, but have they given any timeframe on how soon it could be resolved?

No time frame that I have heard.

They showed the president of the water company on the news last night and listening to him talk I got the feeling that he was too dumb to tie his own shoes let alone know what was going on.

The spill happened from another company but the water company was aware of it thursday morning yet no alerts (that I have found) were issued until 5-6 pm.

Whatever the chemicals were that was spilled in the water source (Elk River) they gave off a licorice smell as people in those areas were all reporting smelling a licorice smell that morning.

Who knows.

 

[ManicDepressiveMan]

It is a mess. People fighting over bottled water in stores. The chemical company didn't even report the leak when it happened. The stuff was running over its containment walls before the local EPA found out about it and started the warnings here in Charleston. A friend of mine lives near the Elk River and he said he smelled the licorice odor Wednesday night after he got home from work. So it is possible that it was leaking into the river 24 hours before the do not use the water warning was even issued.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Be safe fellows.

 

[WV Cowboy]

From our local community:

More Than 600 Cases of Water Collected for St. Albans Community - Thanks to Quick Response and Generosity

Within about a 24-hour period, 600 cases of water – along with hand sanitizer, diapers, cleaning wipes, baby formula, juice, hand and disinfecting wipes, paper products, plastic utensils, canned and packaged food items and several hundred dollars in cash - were collected at drop-off stations located in Bridgeport/Clarksburg, Lost Creek and Shinnston.

I'm sure there are many other stories just like this one.