MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) is reaching out to customers to put their minds at ease over concerns of potential water contamination. The aftereffects of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which led to evacuations and tainted water supplies in the surrounding region, have led to calls from MUB customers concerned about potential contamination. In response, MUB Communications Director Chris Dale states that the water supply from MUB has not been affected.
“Our water in our area is perfectly safe for all uses; we’re in no way impacted by the train derailment in Ohio,” said MUB Director of Communications Chris Dale regarding the concerns.
Concerns about a potential water contamination stem from the derailed train cargo, which contained vinyl chloride and at least four other poisonous chemicals, some of which reached water supplies that are supported by the Ohio River. According to Dale, MUB’s water comes from the Monongahela River, and while it does have a connection to the Ohio River, the distance and river system will keep the water supply from being affected.
“The Mon River flows north toward Pittsburgh; it’s virtually impossible for anything, any kind of event that occurs north of Morgantown to impact our water supply,” Dale said of the incident’s safety for MUB’s water supply.
While the water is safe, Dale also states that MUB has a well-stocked emergency water supply in the event of an emergency. The current supply has enough water to supply all of MUB’s over 25,000 customers for over a month, with the help of projects such as the White Park reservoir and the Flegal Dam and Reservoir that’s currently finishing construction. Dale states that incidents like the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment were what came to mind in the planning stages and were supported by local officials.
“The reservoir we have now in White Park will provide maybe a three-day backup, but the one we’re constructing will give us more than thirty days,” said Dale on WAJR’s Talk of the Town. “And that’s absolutely critical in case of an emergency,” he said.
Regardless of the potential impact of the derailment’s chemical leak, Dale stated that MUB will maintain their regular approach to preparation and communication. Efforts such as 24/7 river monitoring, communications with other water utilities, and regular water testing will continue, and if any changes do take place, MUB will inform the public in a timely manner and respond accordingly.
“Our people can continue using the water like they normally do,” Dale said. “And what we’re doing is we’re monitoring the event, and we’re continuing to monitor our water like we normally do,” he said.