CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state Division of Homeland Security anticipates there will be enough bottled water for residents still impacted by the recent water emergency to last through the weekend.
Division spokesman Larry Messina said a new shipment from FEMA was set to arrive Tuesday.
“FEMA is sending an additional 40 tractor trailers of water to West Virginia,” Messina said.
Currently only two of nine water emergency counties, Kanawha and Boone, are still requesting the water from the state.
Kanawha County Deputy Emergency Manager C.W. Sigman said residents continue to line up at a handful of water distribution sites.
“There’s a big demand for it. We appreciate the folks who have been passing it out and we appreciate the state who has been getting it for us from FEMA,” he said.
Some customers of West Virginia American Water Company said they continue to smell the chemical crude MCHM in their water and as long as the smell is there they won’t drink it. WVAWC said the water is safe to drink but it may take several more days to flush the smell out of the system.
Sigman said they will give out water as long as they can.
“As long as the state will provide us with the water and as long as they have people who will distribute it, we will keep on doing it,” Sigman said.
Sigman and others give credit to a number of volunteers who have staffed the distribution sites since soon after the Jan. 9 chemical leak that contaminated the water.