Toxin in Ohio water leaves 500,000 under state of emergency
water at a Toledo, Ohio, treatment plant has tested positive for a toxin, and nearly 500,000 Ohio residents have been told not drink the tap water. The governor has declared a state of emergency Saturday in three counties, state officials told the Los Angeles Times.Ohio Gov. John Kasich declared a state of emergency for residents of Lucas and Wood counties early Saturday morning after two water samples tested positive for microcystin, a toxin possibly caused by an algae bloom in Lake Erie.
Around 3 p.m. EDT, Kasich expanded the state of emergency to Fulton County, according to Chris Abbruzzese, a spokesman for the state.
According to an alert issued by the city of Toledo, chemists were conducting tests at the city's Collins Water Treatment Plant when the samples tested positive for microcystin. The alert advised residents not to drink water or even boil it.
"Most importantly, water should not be consumed until an all clear is issued," the alert read. "It is important to state that this drinking water alert does NOT recommend boiling, and in fact, boiling water can worsen the situation. Water should not be given to pets."
News of the contaminated water spread quickly throughout the city of 280,000, sending many residents flocking to Toledo shopping areas, neighboring cities and in some cases, north to Michigan, in search of fresh water.
Sam Melden, a native of West Toledo, told the Los Angeles Times he rushed to the nearest supply store around 9 a.m., only to find the shelves virtually barren.
“Costco was like a war zone, and they were limiting to like five cases,” he said.
Melden, who lives with his wife and two young daughters, and many of his neighbors were facing daunting trips out of town once they realized that local supplies were running short. But a neighbor woke up early, drove 30 miles north into Michigan, and brought back several cases of water for the neighborhood
“I offered to pay and he said don’t worry about it,” Melden said.
The nerve-wracking water shortage has prompted similar random acts of kindness throughout the area. On social media, people were using the hashtag #fullglasscity, a play on Toledo’s nickname of the “Glass City,” to share stories of good Samaritans going out of their way to keep strangers hydrated.
“Our neighbor just dropped this water off unprompted. Sweet act of kindness,”https://twitter.com/ElizBatman/status/495638920303247360, underneath a picture of a case of bottled water.
More here: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nation...802-story.html
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Originally Posted by Hockey Guy
