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A dangerous chemical spill Thursday morning into the Elk River in West Virginia has contaminated the Kanawha Valley water supply, affecting about 300,000 in nine counties, prompting emergency declarations on both state and federal levels. It’s uncertain how much of the chemical, 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, was leaked.
The spill was upstream from one of the largest water processing facilities in its region. The chemical appears to be a chlorinated solvent that is deadly, that attacks the heart, lungs and kidneys, and can cause systemic damage. A state official claimed it was not toxic if swallowed.
According to a federal website that lists chemicals, the chemical is lethal in relatively small doses. When lethal, symptoms include, “severe, acute parenchymal and vascular damage in the heart, liver, and kidneys and vascular damage in the lungs. These lesions were generally accompanied by cerebral edema and congestion. Sublethal doses caused depression [of the central nervous system] with clonic/tonic convulsions, salivation, and lacrimation. Animals given sublethal doses showed liver damage on autopsy.”
The ban on using tap water for drinking, cooking, bathing or washing clothes prompted a run on water from supermarkets and convenience stores, which by nightfall were reportedly almost sold out. Schools and restaurants in the area were forced to close.
“Right now, our priorities are our hospitals, nursing homes and schools,” said Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. “I’ve been working with our National Guard and Office of Emergency Services in an effort to provide water and supplies through the county emergency services offices as quickly as possible.”
The leak, first reported on Thursday at 11:40 am EST, came from a 48,000-gallon tank at Freedom Industries coal treatment facility about a mile upriver from the West Virginia American Water Co. facility, said Tom Aluise, a spokesman for West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection. When the chemical reached the water treatment facility, it contaminated the tap water.