Train Derailment Potentially Pollutes Drinking Water for 23 Million Americans

A “controlled explosion” in answer to a train derailment in East Palestine, OH, is now cause for concern far beyond the town’s tiny borders. According to the EPA’s website, “A train derailment occurred at approximately 8:55 PM EST on February 3, 2023 in East Palestine, OH.”

A later update, added on February 7, stated, “During Norfolk Southern’s controlled burn [explosion] yesterday of rail cars containing vinyl chloride, U.S. EPA air monitoring, detected particulate matter resulting from the fire.”

Local news agencies began reporting that an unknown number of toxins also spilled into the Ohio River. That fear was confirmed by local authorities, and water production shut down and transferred to an alternate source, according to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on February 8, 2023.

The governor is quoted as saying “everything is fine here”, but the water utility company, West Virginia American Water, is continuing to enhance its water treatment process as a precaution, according to the AP.

The problem becomes substantially more “problematic” when the Ohio River meets with the Mississippi River, of which the Ohio is the largest tributary. Now, a much larger number of Americans are adversely effected. With the Ohio’s five million, and the Mississippi’s eighteen million, that adds up to a lot of drinking water.

The possibility of 23 million Americans being without drinking water is no longer doomsday thinking, in light of these events. The ineptitude of those at the highest levels to address issues like these, not to mention a sheer lack of will to do anything whatsoever, should shake everyone to their core.

Louisville Water is monitoring the Ohio River, in an attempt to prevent a breach of contaminants to an even larger portion of the population. The other water utilities involved have also taken steps to install a secondary system to mitigate any contamination downstream.

There will be aTown Hall meeting near the epicenter of the disaster in East Palestine, OH on Wednesday. Surely all concerned parties are hoping for some peace of mind by the time that is concluded tomorrow evening. We shall see.