This is a water heater with a sediment trap. The water heater has to be purged and the sediment trap opened and flushed. This has to be done throughout any water system that came in contact with the contaminate.
By Kris Maher
Feb. 11, 2014 7:40 p.m. ET
West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (click here) on Tuesday announced a plan to test the water in homes in the state capital of Charleston and nine surrounding counties amid safety concerns following a chemical spill last month.
On Jan. 9, an estimated 10,000 gallons of a coal-processing chemical blend called Crude MCHM leaked into the Elk River and left 300,000 people without tap water for at least five days.
Several state health officials at a congressional hearing Monday declined to say that the water was safe to drink, even though tests have shown quantities of MCHM to be well below a limit set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It is time for the political officials to step aside and let the scientists do what they do," Mr. Tomblin said Tuesday.
He announced $650,000 in initial funding and named two drinking-water experts to spearhead the program, Andrew Whelton, an environmental and civil engineer at the University of South Alabama, and Jeffrey Rosen, president of Corona Environmental Consulting LLC...
The testing has to go forward, but, every household water and/or sediment trap and drain has to be tested. Don't simply send out a public service message for homeowners to be reimbursed for any expense occurred in correcting their household system. PLEASE be sure it is done correctly and completely until the water systems are clear.
The school water fountains probably has some gunk at the adjustment screws. PLUMBERS can provide insight as to where water is more stagnant in the water systems.
The water went everywhere and if the contaminant is gone, there is some accumulations/small pools sitting around somewhere. Water doesn't cooperate. It just is.
There are other appliances that could be storing contaminated water, including water softeners. There are also homes that have water filtration systems, some large and complex and others under the sinks. It is probably best to change out any filters. If there are any outside cooling systems that utilize water, especially with a business, that needs to be looked at, too. It is not impossible, just tedious.
