Yes, The West Virginia Chemical Leak Is Still Causing Problems

Months After The Chemical Leak, Is The Water Safe To Drink?

It's been three months since 10,000 gallons of the coal-washing chemical MCHM leaked into West Virginia's Elk River, and the disaster is far from resolved. Many residents still don't trust their water supply, and a proposed chemical spill bill has been weakened since its introduction.

HuffPost Live sat down with journalists Kate Sheppard of The Huffington Post and Marcus Constantino of the Charleston Daily Mail and Andrew Whelton, assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University of South Alabama, to discuss the issue. Whelton notes that he and fellow researchers discovered that the water plant's filter is contaminated, and "the source of the chemical has not been eradicated."

He also says he's surprised the incident hasn't garnered more attention, and that we need greater action to prevent similar events. “This incident has demonstrated that as a nation we do not have the capability to help out a large portion of our population when they are affected by a contaminated water incident, and we can’t let it happen again," Whelton said.

You can watch the full HuffPost Live segment here.

Before You Go

Jonathan Steele

West Virginia Chemical Spill

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