What’s in Our Water?? Elk River’s MCHM spill

In the western world, we have come to expect clean drinking water from indoor plumbing. It wasn’t always been this way, nor is clean potable water everywhere. Water is regularly screened for chemicals at water treatment facilities to ensure the quality of the water but what happens when something unusual happens? In January 2014, a devastating 10,000 gallons of 4-methylcylchohexane methanol (MCHM) was discovered in the drinking water. This spill was from a coal processing facility located directly upstream from the public drinking water intake valve on the Elk River in Charleston, WV and casued a state-wide crisis. In April’s Science on Tap event, Dr. Jennifer Gallagher, from the WVU Eberly College Department of Biology, will present her ongoing research, allowing you first-hand knowledge of how she is uncovering the way MCHM affects basic cellular functions. The open discussion/presentation will take place on April 12 at 7 pm at the Morgantown Brewing Company. Go to this LINK to see the event flyer.