One month later, experts hedge on W.Va. water safety

• A chemical spill Jan. 9 contaminated water for 300%2C000 West Virginians
• Some communities were banned from using tap water for more than a week
• Many residents still complain about the smell and color of their tap water

One month after a chemical spill contaminated water for 300,000 West Virginians, health officials testifying before a congressional panel in Charleston on Monday hedged on guaranteeing that the water is safe to drink.

"Everybody has a different definition of safe," said Letitia Tierney, commissioner of the state Bureau for Public Health. "I believe the water, based on the standards we have, is usable."

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, noted that Tierney was drinking from a container of water that came from Tierney's tap at home.

Jeff McIntyre, head of West Virginia American Water, said the water is in compliance with all safety standards -- and that he doesn't set those standards. Rafael Moure-Eraso, chairman of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, told the panel it's difficult to say what levels are safe because the chemical involved has drawn so little study.

Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., said it appeared that no one was willing to state unequivocally that the water was safe, possibly for fear of liability issues.

Thousands of gallons of the coal processing chemical 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM) spilled from Freedom Industries tanks into the Elk River on Jan. 9. The water was not shut off, but its use was banned for residences, businesses and schools in nine counties. MCHM can cause skin irritation, vomiting and diarrhea, but is not regulated under federal law.

Some areas were banned from using tap water for more than a week, and all residents were instructed to flush their pipes before using water again. Even after the all-clear was issued, some residents complained of discolored or poorly smelling water.

More than 100 people marched Saturday in Charleston to protest the state of the local water -- and the water bills they are paying. And Wednesday, two local schools closed early after the licorice odor similar to that of the spilled chemical wafted through several classrooms and a cafeteria.

A teacher who fainted and another student went to the hospital, state schools Superintendent James Phares said. Other students started feeling light-headed and had itchy eyes and noses. Phares said schools were flushing their pipes Wednesday because of a water main break earlier in the week and didn't finish before students arrived.

There have been other mixed messages. Weeks after officials cleared thousands to use water again, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials advised pregnant women to consider a different water source.

Last week, however, the CDC reaffirmed its stance on the water's safety, even for pregnant women.

"You can drink it. You can bathe in it," said Tanja Popovic, acting director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. "You can use it how you like."

Popovic said the CDC's suggestion to consider other water sources was meant only to empower pregnant women to make their own health decisions.

"They may not want to eat certain food," Popovic said. "They may not want to fly. It doesn't mean that flying isn't safe."

Contributing: Associated Press