An editorial from the Charleston Daily Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Putting aside for now the obvious questions for Freedom Industries and West Virginia American Water Company about potential steps they could have taken to prevent the great water crisis of 2014, the overall response by the water company, state and local officials, and the community has been remarkable.
While the area experienced a bit of panic in the first few hours after Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and water company officials announced a “Do Not Use” order late Thursday afternoon, it wasn’t long before officials announced that truckloads of water were on the way.
As promised, truckloads began arriving early Friday.
The West Virginia Air National Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing was among the first, hauling in 51 tractor-trailers loaded with water from a Federal Emergency Management Agency center in Maryland. Churches, schools and community centers set up distribution sites to get drinkable water to the people.
And the flow hasn’t stopped. Not just bottled water, but tankers of potable water that residents can use to fill containers are available at several dozens of water distribution locations…
