W.Va. Gov. Issues State of Emergency, Water Ban for 5 Counties after Leak
Source: WSAZ
W.Va. Gov. Issues State of Emergency, Water Ban for 5 Counties after Leak
Updated: Thu 7:09 PM, Jan 09, 2014
UPDATE 1/9/14 @ 7:10 p.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has issued a state of emergency for five counties after a chemical leak in Kanawha County Thursday morning.
The state of emergency includes West Virginia American Water customers in Boone, Lincoln, Kanawha, Jackson and Putnam counties.
WVAW customers are told not to use tap water for drinking, cooking, washing, or bathing. You can use the water for toilets and fire emergencies. Boiling water will not get rid of the chemical. This is believed to impact 100,000 customers.
The Kanawha Charleston Health Department, which covers Kanawha and Putnam counties tells WSAZ.com all permit holders in both counties, including daycares, universities, restaurants, and schools need to shut down.
Homeland Security says if you feel sick, seek medical attention at a local hospital or call poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
According to a news release, the leak happened at Freedom Industries in Charleston. The leaked product is 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, which is used in the froth flotation process of coal washing and preparation.
Read more: http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Firefighters-Investigating-Strong-Smell-in-Kanawha-Valley--239434751.html
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)When you drive through the Charleston area all you see are huge chemical plants along the Kanawha.
ProgressSaves
(123 posts)EileenFB
(360 posts)about this situation. I've been following his posts for the last couple of hours as he is directly affected by this. Here are a couple of his updates:
So there's a chemical spill that contaminates the water supply for five counties and the state government doesn't get around to issuing a state of emergency for SEVEN HOURS?!?
Meanwhile people are unknowingly circulating the contaminated water farther and farther all day, not to mention cooking with and drinking it all day at restaurants and in their homes? And your press conference doesn't happen until AFTER dinner?
A chemical hazardous enough that boiling your water still won't make it safe? With my goddamn kids at daycare drinking that shit unknowingly?
ARE YOU MOTHERFUCKING KIDDING ME?!?
People have bought up tons of bottled water and are attempting to sell it online now at horribly inflated prices.
People don't waste time in taking advantage of a bad situation!
hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)My poor wife is having to spend the evening in the emergency command center. We work, but do not live, in the affected area.
Methanol is a form of alcohol.
They do use some nasty chemicals in coal prep. Everybody sort of thinks you just mine it and then it's burned but it's washed and processed using all sort of crap that really generates some crappy toxic waste to get it ready to burn.
hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)Now they are saying we're affected.
Glad I have 2 wells I can switch to.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)... about how coal is mined and processed and the utter devastation it wreaks upon the environment.
intaglio
(8,170 posts)Risk Statements
36: Irritating to the eyes
37: Irritating to the respiratory system
38: Irritating to the skin
Safety Statements
26: In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice
27: Take off immediately all contaminated clothing
28: After contact with skin, wash immediately with plenty of ... (to be specified by the manufacturer)
29: Do not empty into drains
30: Never add water to this product
33: Take precautionary measures against static discharges
35: This material and its container must be disposed of in a safe way
36: Wear suitable protective clothing
37: Wear suitable gloves
39: Wear eye/face protection
okaawhatever
(9,453 posts)MyNameGoesHere
(7,638 posts)had breaking news on Jay Gruden being the new coach of Washington within 1 hour of it happening. This? Nothing. You don't bad mouth coal period. It is the unwritten rule.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)peoli
(3,111 posts)dbackjon
(6,578 posts)durablend
(7,416 posts)WV today, the entire country tomorrow. Because g-ddammit companies need to rake in huge profits and besides "They sell bottled water you can drink in the stores, you know"
Aerows
(39,961 posts)It's a good thing all those coal and chemical companies fight so hard against regulation. I mean, regulation might be bad for business. Apparently it's horrible for the bottled water and basic necessities for human life industries, too.
Maybe as residents stand in line to get their water rations, they can gripe about how horrible those commie regulators are and appreciate the irony.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)Even this won't have any impact on the love affair with coal. This is the EPA-hating group that is so popular here in WV:
http://www.friendsofcoal.org/
I see the bumper stickers and billboards all the time. Nothing will change.
MadrasT
(7,237 posts)CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced early Friday morning that the White House has approved a federal emergency declaration to assist with the emergency water situation in nine West Virginia counties.
Governor Tomblin declared a state of emergency Thursday evening after a chemical leak in Charleston. The state of emergency includes West Virginia American Water customers in Kanawha, Cabell, Boone, Putnam, Lincoln, Logan, Clay, Roane and Jackson counties.
(Same link as in OP.)
Scary.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)as a result of the weather.
My best friend lives in Lewis county and just found out she was supposed to be boiling her water AFTER she started showing GI symptoms.
So it's going to be that much harder to shift bottled water supplies from other parts of the state, their stores will have empty shelves too.
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)hollowdweller
(4,229 posts)Petrushka
(3,709 posts)Jacoby365
(450 posts)I figured with a name like Freedom Industries there would be a Koch connection.
The following link (scroll down to Coal Products) shows that Freedom Industries is the distributor for Koch's coal processing chemicals.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Georgia-Pacific
The following link has information about Koch's coal mining chemicals.
http://www.gp-chemicals.com/Talon_Mining_Depressants
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)I guess I shouldn't be surprised at any slimy operation with a Koch connection.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)Petrushka
(3,709 posts)Redfairen
(1,276 posts)They're being told the water is OK for flushing toilets but nothing else.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/09/us/west-virginia-contaminated-water/