CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia American Water Company turned its map all blue Friday afternoon. Meaning its Do Not Use water order had been lifted for all of its customers in the nine-county region impacted by the Jan. 9 chemical spill.
But there is still a problem in Putnam County where Friday morning test results showed a higher level of the chemical crude MCHM.
The company advised customers in Buffalo, Pliny and Frazier’s Bottom “not to drink and have limited contact” with their water.
WVAWC said:
“New water sampling results indicate additional flushing and sampling is required in this area until water quality sampling data can be determined.
While investigating a customer complaint, new sample results indicated a split sample result with one reading above 1 ppm and one reading below 1 ppm at a fire hydrant on a dead-end water main in Buffalo. To exercise the utmost caution, crews have conducted additional flushing in the area and will analyze additional samples collected before this notice can be lifted.”
Buffalo High and Buffalo Elementary schools sent students home early as a precaution.
Also Friday morning WVAWC lifted its Do Not Use order for customers in the Kanawha zones of Elkview, Pinch, Quick, Young’s Bottom, Wills Creek, Eskdale, Leewood, Ohley, Pond Gap, Coal Fork, Pointlick and Campbells Creek areas.
Clendenin was the last area cleared.
WVAWC has also issued a number of boil water advisories because excessive flushing by customers has drained water tanks in several regions.
Those boil water advisories are out for parts of Sissonville, Nitro, Cross Lanes and the Upper Kanawha Valley including Riverside, Paint Creek and Pratt.