Crisis In West Virginia: Wal-Mart Calls In Police To Guard Bottled Water Delivery

[WilliamPitt]

The Federal Emergency Management Authority has confirmed that it will deliver more than 1 million liters (264,172 gallons) of clean water to residents of the nine counties in West Virginia after a chemical used by the coal industry spilled into the Elk River on Thursday.

Approximately 300,000 people in West Virginia were told not to drink or use their water after approximately 5,000 gallons of 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol (MCHM) — a chemical used to wash coal of impurities — spilled from a tank owned by Freedom Industries. West Virginia American Water Company president Jeff McIntyre warned consumers not to use tap water for baby formula, brushing teeth, or showering. “Toilet flushing only,” he said.

The reports sent people rushing to stock up on bottled water, stripping store shelves around the area, including local Wal-Marts. Tension over the availability of clean water in the area seemed to be growing. At around 3:00pm, the Kanawha County police scanner lit up with reports of a shipment of water that was about to come in to a nearby Wal-Mart, asking for police presence while employees could restock.

“It was chaos, that’s what it was,” convenience store cashier Danny Cardwell told FoxNews.com.

The rest: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/01/10/3149971/crisis-wal-mart-west-virginia-water-delivery/`

[arcane1]

1. My cynical side wonders if the price will go up.

For the record, my other side is also cynical.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Little preview of what happens during a shortage of needed items

Large groups of people who need/want an "essential item" are going to get unruly.
Hell,watching the mass mobs at a Black Friday event tells us that.
Sad.

[In_The_Wind]

3. There's been talk of price gouging on water.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024315876
Just talked to a friend who told me the price gouging on water has reached out of control proportions

[WhiteTara]

4. I hope Freedom Industries has paid

and there will simply be a line outside the store and people can get water. This should be criminal except we just cut the regulators of all these kinds of places.

I just had this visual of the company president/owner getting dropped into the dunking tank filled with his contaminated water.

[GeorgeGist]

5. OMG! warning graphic ...

[jmowreader]

7. Reminds me of the water rationing scene in Soylent Green

Soylent Green would be corrupt businessmen if there was any justice in the world.

[me b zola]

6. The road to Thunderdome

...has to begin somewhere.