Officials Believe Chemical Used In Antifreeze Leaked Into Verdigris River

Nowata County is in a state of emergency as many towns have no water by order of the Department of Environmental Quality.

This happened after a chemical plant exploded on Tuesday in Neodesha, Kansas. The DEQ believes that caused ethylene glycol to leak into the Verdigris River.

City workers, volunteers, and the National Guard are helping people get drinking water. And while most people are keeping high spirits, concerns are growing as they still don’t know when the water will be back.

This Thanksgiving a steady stream of people kept workers busy handing out water in Nowata.

11/24/2016 Related Story: Nowata Handing Out Bottled Water To Residents

Picking up bottled water was a first for 20-year Nowata-native Marjorie Monroe.

"Never had to deal without water," she said.

The lack of water has changed how her Thanksgiving plans.

Marty: "How has it affected your thanksgiving plans?"
Monroe: "Well, I'm going down to my sons right now."

She said preparing this year’s meal has been more challenging than years past.

Marty: "They've needed to bring in water just to be able to cook?"
Monroe: "Yes, he went clear to Owasso last night to get the water."

Nowata Mayor David Lynn said the water system will be off for a minimum of two days, possibly longer. He said cases of water will be available at City Hall.

"We're kind of having to limit it until we find out exactly how much we're going to receive," he said.

And the City sent workers to stores asking them to turn off their toilets and faucets.

Special attention has been given to folks at the hospital. The National Guard was called to bring in a 2,000-gallon tank of water.

Marty: "All this water behind you will be gone today?"
Lynn: "I think there is a good possibility of it."

But, the mayor said the city will make due as it waits for the DEQ to gather more samples of water to test for Ethylene Glycol - a common chemical found in antifreeze formulas.

Lynn said, "At this particular time, we don't know anything about how long it is going to take these tests."

The uncertainty is leaving people concerned, but also thankful for the city's response.

"Very inconvenient, but yet we understand that the people up north are the ones that are really suffering," Monroe said.

The Ethylene Glycol is not in the South Coffeyville or Rural Water District 7 systems, but there do not want residents to drink or bathe in the tap water.

Nowata County and area town leaders met Thursday to discuss how to handle the people that live in the rural water districts. The main point of emphasizes was to conserve the water and to not be wasteful.

Meanwhile in Coffeyville, Kansas, the Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil order for the City of Coffeyville public water supply in Montgomery County.

The advisory started Thursday and they say it will last until pressure is restored are resolved.

The City said customers should:

• Boil water for one minute prior to drinking or food preparation, or use bottled water
• Dispose of ice cubes and do not use ice from a household automatic ice maker
• Disinfect dishes and other food contact surfaces by immersion for at least one minute in clean tap water that contains one teaspoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water
• Water used for bathing does not generally need to be boiled. Supervision of children is necessary while bathing so that water is not ingested. Persons with cuts or severe rashes may wish to consult their physicians
• If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears.

City officials also began handing out bottled water to residents Thursday afternoon.

11/23/2016 Related Story: Nowata, Other Towns Affected By Water Supply Concerns After Neodesha Fire

The city manager's office says they are limiting distribution to five bottles per car.  The city says FEMA has notified Coffeyville, more trailers of bottled water are on their way.

The distribution locations are: 

• Coffeyville, Kansas – Youth Activity Center at 502 Walnut. Enter from 5th Street, south on Walnut to the parking lot of the YAC. There will be both a drive thru and walk up line.
• Dearing, Kansas – Fire Department
• South Coffeyville, Oklahoma – Fire Department
• Edna, Kansas for Labette Rural Water District #6 – Edna Lumber Yard