West Virginia Officials Say Water Ban to be Lifted Soon [View all]
Source: Time Magazine
West Virginia Officials Say Water Ban to be Lifted Soon
But authorities unable to provide clear timetable
By David Stout Jan. 13, 2014Add a Comment
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Residents line up for water at a water filling station at West Virginia State University, in Institute, West Virginia, January 10, 2014.
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After an estimated 300,000 West Virginians spent the weekend without tap water, following a massive chemical spill in the Elk River, officials say tests show life may return to normal soon without specifying exactly when. I believe that were at a point where we can say that we see light at the end of the tunnel, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin told a group of reporters on Sunday.
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Jeff McIntyre, president of West Virginia American Water, said he was optimistic that the ban would be lifted soon. I dont believe were several days from starting to lift, but Im not saying today, told McIntyre.
On Thursday, state officials announced that approximately 7,500 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, a chemical used to process coal, had leaked from a storage tank into the Elk River, just one mile from the West Virginia American Water plant.
Environmentalists have long chided West Virginias lax industrial regulations, which activists claim are a result of the enormous sway companies working in coal-related industries have in the state.
Read more: http://nation.time.com/2014/01/13/west-virginia-officials-say-water-ban-to-be-lifted-soon/