A West Virginia water company is improving its water treatment process as a precaution after a chemical train derailment.
HUNTINGTON, WV — The West Virginia Water Company is improving its water treatment process as a precaution after derailment of a train carrying chemicals which later sent a toxic plume into Ohio.
West Virginia American Water said Sunday it is also going to install a secondary intake on the Guyandotte River if it needs to switch to an alternate water source. The utility said there was no change in the raw water at its Ohio River intake.
“The health and safety of our customers is a priority and there are currently no drinking water advisories for customers,” the company said in a statement.
About 50 cars, including 10 containing hazardous materials, derailed in a Feb. 3 accident in East Palestine, Ohio. Vinyl chloride was later released into the air from five of those vehicles before crews ignited it to get rid of the flammable, toxic chemicals in a controlled environment, creating a dark plume of smoke.
Residents of nearby areas in Ohio and Pennsylvania were evacuated due to health hazards from the fumes, but have since been allowed to return.
Residents who filed a federal lawsuit seek to force southern Norfolk to set up health monitoring for residents in both states.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday by two Pennsylvania residents, requires the railroad operator to pay for medical tests and appropriate care for anyone living within a 30-mile (48-kilometer) radius of the derailment to determine who was affected by the toxic emissions released after the derailment. off the rails. . The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages.
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/ohio/ohio-train-derailment-water-utility-to-take-precautions/530-9ada436c-c4e9-4168-a21d-275678594950
