Water Treatment Plants Scramble After Train Carrying Crude Oil Explodes

A CSX-owned train carrying millions of pounds of crude oil derailed and exploded Monday afternoon in West Virginia, leaking its contents near the Kanawha River, a drinking water source for two counties. 

At least two water treatment plants shut down Monday night so officials could determine the effects of the spill, which was three miles away from a water intake valve. The train was still burning Tuesday night, and oil continued to pour from the site.

"Residents relied on bottled water that was trucked into town after the utility West Virginia American Water, fearing that oil had been dumped into the Kanawha River, closed a treatment plant downstream, in Montgomery, on Monday. The company reopened the plant on Tuesday afternoon, saying tests had shown 'nondetectable levels of the components of crude oil' in the river. Still, aerial photographs appeared to show oil in a nearby creek, and the utility advised its 2,000 customers in the area to boil water before using it," the New York Times reported. 

"About 2,000 people were at risk of losing water service. But Tuesday afternoon officials said testing showed no crude near a water intake valve near one plant," CNN reported. 

Initial signs have been positive about the state of local drinking water after the explosion. "Water tests have come back negative for any evidence of crude oil. West Virginia American Water restarted the Montgomery water treatment plant at 1 p.m. Tuesday," WSAZ reported.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin addressed the media on Tuesday, promising vigilance about water safety. 

"With the tests coming back all negative, then we're able to safely say that they can go ahead and start the plant back up," he said, per the report. "So people can get their water and get their lives back to order."

"The national guard has been working with the local authorities here," he said, per the report. "They've been water testing last night, again this morning. They'll continue to do that, our testing and so forth, and it's my understanding Montgomery has started their water filtration system back up."

CSX, the transport service provider that owned the train, issued a statement noting that one person underwent treatment for potential inhalation, and no other injuries have been reported. 

"CSX teams also are working with first responders to address the fire, to determine how many rail cars derailed, and to deploy environmental protective measures and monitoring on land, air and in the nearby Kanawha River," the statement said. 

The spill comes as West Virginia regulators evaluate water safety issues in the aftermath of the Freedom Industries chemical spill that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginians two years ago. In hopes of preventing future spills, lawmakers mandated a review of what's already on the books.