Although West Virginia American Water has deemed the state’s water safe for parts of the state after the chemical spill from Freedom Industries, local residents are reporting illnesses and discolored water.
See photos of West Virginia water
300,000 people have been without drinking water for five days now.
What was the chemical that contaminated West Virginia’s water?
Hear below from Johanna de Graffenreid, Fayetteville, West Virginia resident and campaign coordinator for the West Virginia C.A.R.E. campaign, an 18-member coalition campaigning for environmental accountability.
“While portions of the 9 effected counties have been deemed safe by WV American Water, no water is safe. Individuals in the entire region are reporting rashes, severe nausea & intestinal issues, and headaches.
High rise buildings and group homes in the area do not have instructions on how to flush their water lines properly, since the instructions from the WV DEP apply only to single-family homes. This means that our states most vulnerable, those who in rural areas who depend on the central water source and those in low-income and senior housing, will continue to suffer the lack of protection from the WV DEP for days to come.“