[Yoda]

Holy guacamole, Batman

One crisis averted, now onto the next.

A 48,000-gallon storage tank containing 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol was discovered to be leaking into a nearby river today. “This material pretty much floats on the water, and it’s floating downstream, and eventually it will dissipate, but you can’t actually get in there and remove it,” said a spokesman for the department of environmental protection,

The governor has declared a state of emergency for nine counties. We are told, do not use tap water for drinking, cooking, washing or bathing. The only safe use of the water is to flush toilets or put out fires.

As you may have guessed all stores in the area are sold out of water. Freaking great. All I have to drink right now are several bottled Frappucinos.

[unaluna]

Well at least it will put out fires? It sounds like it would burn. I wouldnt light a match in the bathroom, just to be on the safe side!

Government officials learned of the spill after residents reported their water smelled/tasted like licorice??? You posted 24 hours ago and only today a state of emergency was declared? Who's in charge of this kind of thing I wonder. I guess it never occurred to the company to report that they'd just spilled a bunch of methane in the drinking water supply
Hope you get some water soon

I looked up the safety data for that stuff. Sitting down Yoda?
36: Irritating to the eyes
37: Irritating to the respiratory system
38: Irritating to the skin
You may laugh at this to keep from crying
26: In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice
27: Take off immediately all contaminated clothing
28: After contact with skin, wash immediately with plenty of ... (to be specified by the manufacturer)
29: Do not empty into drains
30: Never add water to this product
33: Take precautionary measures against static discharges
35: This material and its container must be disposed of in a safe way
36: Wear suitable protective clothing
37: Wear suitable gloves
38: In case of insufficient ventilation, wear suitable respiratory equipment
39: Wear eye/face protection

[Yoda]

I don't know if the chemical company knowingly tried to cover up the leak or not. Apparently the leak drained into a containment pond that later overflowed into the river. I'm not sure at what point the company realized the severity of the leak.

I wonder what people with livestock will do. A horse can drink ten gallons per day. My horse died but my neighbor who breeds and shows has more than a dozen horses.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by george h.

i looked up the safety data for that stuff. Sitting down yoda?

in case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and .....

Originally Posted by Yoda

I thought you'd appreciate the irony I thought 30 was good too. Never add water to this product. Gremlins?

[0w6c379]

George H. -

Yoda - Is there any seltzer water left in the stores? It's more expensive but it's not a bad substitute. Only other alternative is to drive out of the area to stock up. Sorry this has happened. I generally try to keep a few gallons on hand in case we get a water shortage here. Maybe that would be a good idea for you next time.

[shezbut]

(((( Yoda ))))

That sounds like a complete nightmare!! Did the EPA spokesman have any idea how long this might last for your area, as well as whether or not the people who live in counties beyond are going to be affected as well?? I can't imagine the wildlife doing well at all from this accident.

I would imagine that a lot of people are flooding markets everywhere for lots of purified and distilled water. ((((((( )))))))

[Yoda]

Michelle, they had several regular waters in 20 oz so we bought two of those.

There is water headed here but no information yet as to how they will distribute it.

Yeah this event has brought out the crazy in people. Walmart had to get a state trooper because people were trying to load up multiple carts full of water and resell for profit

I'm not seriously worried about this. I would be concerned if I had to mix formula for an infant.

WV people on Facebook are entertainingly stupid right now.

[Yoda]

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by George H.

Government officials learned of the spill after residents reported their water smelled/tasted like licorice??? You posted 24 hours ago and only today a state of emergency was declared? Who's in charge of this kind of thing I wonder. I guess it never occurred to the company to report that they'd just spilled a bunch of methane in the drinking water supply
Hope you get some water soon

I've worked in chemical plants where if we had a release there was protocol of who we would call. Any amount would be a call to the Coast Guard (yeah, weird, but they were the ones in charge of that) and then given a certain amount we would have to start calling local authorities.

If it was bad enough that someone could smell and taste it in the water, that company either really messed up bad or there was a "I'm sure nobody will notice" type of thing.

[Yoda]

Yesterday morning they brought a tanker of water to distribute near my farm. We were limited to four gallons so we are are using three for drinking and one to wash our hands. There will be another distribution at 8am. The fire dept is supplying water for livestock but you have to bring your own containers. My neighbor breeds and shows quarter horses and has ~fifteen horses; considering horses can drink ten gallons of water per day that's a lot of water. I'd try to keep clean water for foals and gestating mares.

This has really brought out the stupid in people. They are posting on Facebook it was Obama's fault because he hates coal (the chemical is used to process coal), it was terrorism, it was punishment from god, et cetera.

We had three lines yesterday waiting for our turns for the tanker and two stupid *****es were smoking standing in line. My asthma doesn't tolerate that, I can't even go down the aisle of laundry detergents in stores. They were about ten yards from me and if they had gotten any closer to me I was going to tell them to cease and desist (but dumb it down to redneck speak). There were two troopers and two sheriffs there and I really was not wanting to go to jail for starting a brawl but I won't put up with that sh**.

[Rohag]

Freezing temperatures, chemical spill...
May the rest of your 2014 be particularly boring.

[unaluna]

I saw it on tv.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by hankster

I saw it on tv.

You might have seen me. I was the girl in the blue coat that looked like she desperately needed a shower We went to get water again this morning and a news crew was filming it. Not sure if it was local or national; NBC has sent correspondents here.

We got 2 24-packs of bottled water and we took a 15 gallon plastic tote to fill. I knew we couldn't lift the tote if it was full because 15 gallons X 8.3 pounds/gallon = heavy! So we filled it 2/3 full and put it in a shopping buggy to get it to the car and it was all my son could do to lift it and put it in the car trunk. We left it in the trunk and will fill containers with it until it is light enough to be able to carry to the house.

[unaluna]

I think i remember seeing a blond in a blue coat with a sweet face and a trunk full of small water bottles

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by hankster

I think i remember seeing a blond in a blue coat with a sweet face and a trunk full of small water bottles

HaHa. I am naturally a brunette but my hair stylist has been doing highlights for ~30 years. One time a patient's family asked to speak to "that blonde nurse" and I realized the highlights were significantly changing my hair appearance.

[Yoda]

Monday they started allowing some areas to drink the tap water but I am still in the red (do not use) zone. They are telling pregnant water to continue to drink bottled water. I won't be drinking it for awhile after my zone goes blue.