Water commission submits first report

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The commission formed out of the January water crisis in nine counties submitted its 47-page report to state lawmakers Monday.

(Read water commission report here)

The water panel faced a Dec. 15 deadline in a bill passed earlier this year by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin in the months after the water emergency.

Commission chair Jimmy Gianato said the law requires each water utility to develop source water protection plans, which are emergency plans that focus on what might impact the water utility and if it does how would the utility respond to an emergency.

“Their estimates is that it’s going to take several millions of dollars over a period of time to complete all of those plans. So we want to work with various water companies to see how we can help them meet the requirements of the statute,” Gianato said.

The plans have to be completed by July 2016. Some have estimated plans for each water utility could cost as much as $100,000 or more, which would total more than $12 million statewide. The report may recommend state budget funds to foot the bill.

Gianato said the commission recommends once the plans are completed there be emergency exercises held.

“So people know how to react, how to respond when something happens based on these plans,” he said.

The commission’s report also recommends improvements to the current system for sharing information and proposes a possible tax incentive for proper owners to help with protection on watersheds.

“We are hoping these things will be beneficial,” Gianato said.

State lawmakers could decide to make a change in the state law.

The water issue dominated the legislative session earlier this year. The spill of the chemical MCHM happened on Jan. 9, a day after the session began. The spill on the Elk River in Charleston contaminated the drinking water for approximately 300,000 residents for several days.





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