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West Virginia Chemical Spill Bill Now Requires Second Water Intake For Water Companies
By: Associated Press
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A legislative committee has unanimously passed an amended bill that proposes new regulations for aboveground storage tanks following last month's chemical spill.
The latest version of the bill passed by the House health committee late Wednesday would add new regulations for tanks like the one at Freedom Industries that leaked chemicals into the water supply for 300,000 people.
The proposal also requires public water systems to have plans in place to protect their water from spills, and react quickly when they occur.
A notable change in the health committee's version of the bill concerns alternative water sources for public water systems. The amendment would require a second water intake or three to five days' worth of untreated water reserves. No one could estimate how much it would cost water companies.
The bill has two more House committee stops. The Senate already passed its own version.