WV Water Supply Contamination

[CodeRed30]

With the chemical spill contaminating the water supply in WV, a thought crossed my mind: Are there any commercially available purification systems that will clean this type of contamination? Anything from a water bottle based (i.e. Katadyn) or something larger? Or is the only way to really combat this type of issue to stock a lot of clean water?

[Heavy Metal]

No, its dissolved, not particulate, you can't filter it. If you could, the plant would be filtering it with their filters. You can't boil it off either because it is less volatile than the water itself. BTW, I have already read the MSDS on the product in question. Getting water from another source would be the order of the day.

If it were me knowing what I know about the spill, (And I am in a position to know as some of the folks/Staff on this board know who I work for without my elaborating), I would bathe in it without hesitation and would drink it in a emergency. The concentration is not that high right now, hovering around 1 ppm.

The authorities right now, as one friend said, are acting on the advice of Lawyers and not the advice of Scientists.

Remember, there are no lethal substances, only lethal concentrations.

[Tzed250]

I grew up in Charleston. My brother drove across the Elk river Friday night and said the odor was extremely strong.

Anyone see irony in this image?


Untitled by zweitakt250, on Flickr

[CodeRed30]

No, its dissolved, not particulate, you can't filter it. If you could, the plant would be filtering it with their filters. You can't boil it off either because it is less volatile than the water itself. BTW, I have already read the MSDS on the product in question. Getting water from another source would be the order of the day.

If it were me knowing what I know about the spill, (And I am in a position to know as some of the folks/Staff on this board know who I work for without my elaborating), I would bathe in it without hesitation and would drink it in a emergency. The concentration is not that high right now, hovering around 1 ppm.

The authorities right now, as one friend said, are acting on the advice of Lawyers and not the advice of Scientists.

Remember, there are no lethal substances, only lethal concentrations.

Thanks for that insight. Being that I'm not a chemist, I don't think I'd be able to make a determination that the chemical concentration wasn't high enough. Therefore I'd have to err on the side of caution and use a different source (as you suggested).

With all that being said, if a water source was intentionally contaminated (think terrorist attack), the situation would be the same as far as drinkability/filtration, correct?

[Heavy Metal]

It would depend on what it was contaminated with and how much.

It is much harder to contaminate a public water supply than some think because the plant itself is effective at treating many contaminants and the dilution factor is enormous. I really don't want to go into to much detail on a public forum for obvious reasons.

This was bad because it was from a large industrial tank farm that was located not far upstream of a water intake.

It will be interesting to hear what proposals come out to prevent such an event from happening again in the future.

[CodeRed30]

It would depend on what it was contaminated with and how much.

It is much harder to contaminate a public water supply than some think because the plant itself is effective at treating many contaminants and the dilution factor is enormous. I really don't want to go into to much detail on a public forum for obvious reasons.

This was bad because it was from a large industrial tank farm that was located not far upstream of a water intake.

It will be interesting to hear what proposals come out to prevent such an event from happening again in the future.

No worries, I appreciate you being tight-lipped and appreciate the input you're able to give.

[VooDoo6Actual]

Ecco-terroists have been very busy.

[Heavy Metal]

Ecco-terroists have been very busy.

I doubt this.

[Mr blasty]

Ecco-terroists have been very busy.

Conjecture or proof?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

[VooDoo6Actual]

Conjecture or proof?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

William Cohen's statement in 97' regarding it, looking at all the coincidences & there is a metric shitload, as a PI for years w/ successful career, talking w/ US Forestry personnel regarding the incendiary balls w/ fuel to start forest fires the proof is there. Just can't specifically locate all the culprits yet as it's pretty vast still. Time will bring it out.

The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.