Calgon, Take me away

[WV Hunter]

A shower is so nice. After having a water ban in place since last Thursday we got the all clear to flush our systems yesterday. Finally got to put the buckets and rags up. Although some are reporting skin burns and peeling even after given the all clear and flushing their system. I took a shower this morning. I'll report back if I die

A chemical holding plant leaked 7500 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol into our main water source. The chemical is used to clean coal in prep plants.

Who puts a chemical plant on your main water source? Who puts a water plant that services 300,000 customers down stream of said chemical plant? West Virginia does, that's who.

No worries, Erin Brockovich was here. :W:

 

[JCS]

Ah, you were one of those people on the news. They said the chemical wasn't harmful. Guess THEY were wrong.


Hope you get your good water back.

 

[Mudranger1]

I'm sure that third arm will come in handy once you get used to it. Don't worry about a thing

 

[L. I. Yankee]

Your two eyes should mold into one right above your nose...not a big deal.....

 

[putm2sleep]

Unreal - sorry to hear that impacted you WV. Be careful. Cannot believe this did not get more air time??? >>>My buddy and I were debating politics and subject changed to this topic. I asked the same question....'who the hell puts the chemical plant upstream of the main water plant?'Zoning? Approval? How did it pass? And why aren't heads rollin'?

Feel this is what they are doing all over Colorado with drilling and the toxic fluids they're pumping into the ground right next to our precious rivers?

 

[noharleyyet]

Amazing the things we take for granted ain't it?

..watch for side effects

 

[WV Hunter]

Actually the chemical storage facility was there before the water plant. Somehow this facility was exempt from EPA/DEP inspections and hadn't seen an inspector since 1991 according to local reports. No one is 100% just how much leaked and for how long. The plant is 1 mile from my office and I never smelled a thing, I am up river though. People at the hospital below the plant have said they smelled it for a couple of days before the reports. How long does it take to leak 7500 gallons thru an inch size hole?

They have no idea what this chemical can do from the best I can tell. Nobody was prepared to talk about this chemical and there still isn't a whole lot known as far as short term and long term effects. Schools are still closed.

My shower did smell like licorice which is not a good thing and is a sign of the chemical in your system. I probably should have skipped the shower but I flushed my plumbing system beyond what they are telling customers that have been given the ok to do. I think only about 50,000 of the 300,000 affected have been given the ok to flush their system. So far no burns have showed up on me. I did advise my wife not take a shower and to make sure the kids continue using the clean water we have stored in buckets, gallon containers and water bottles until we see if more reports of problems show up post flushing.

 

[noharleyyet]

Flippancy aside, that'd scare the chit outa me. .Glad you and youn's are ok.

 

[BuzzH]

"Lets get rid of all those pesky EPA, DEQ type government agencies, all they do is run static on money making businesses. Deregulation is where its at!"....said the GOP and Tea Party.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Glad you & yours are weathering the debacle WV.

Certainly does make a good case for proper regulation of industry.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Amazing the things we take for granted ain't it?

..watch for side effects

I don't get it, they all look like West Virginians to me?

I'd move so fast the mail would take a week to catch me.

 

[dustinf]

I was wondering if you were downstream of the mess. It's been all over the news here.

 

[L. I. Yankee]

All kidding aside hope you and your family are ok.....

 

[fowladdict]

That is crazy stuff...did the water smell funny?

Anyone else read the OP's title and have a Dixie Chicks song stuck in their head??? Frick!!!

 

[WV Hunter]

It has a very strong licorice smell. I went home at lunch and flushed my plumbing system again. Had to open the windows it was so bad.

I showered this morning and can't say if the burning red spot on the back of my hand is from the water or not probably is though.

I give the wife strict orders not to use it for anything but flushing the toilet or putting a fire out until things get better. So far only about 40k of the 300k people on the system have been approved to flush their system and begin using the water. The bans started lifting Monday night. So far just over 100 people have been to the ER reporting problems with over half of those occurring by people who got the ok to use the water.