“All We Wanted Was Water”

On January 26, West Virginia Public Radio aired "All we wanted was water," a news segment featuring Mingo County Sludge Safety Project supporters.

Reporter Erica Peterson interviewed Carmelita and Ernie Brown and Donetta Blankenship about the contaminated well water that sickened community members.

"Residents of several Mingo County communities are suing Massey Energy," she reported. "They’ve been trying to push the lawsuit through for four years and could soon get their day in court. They say the coal company knowingly polluted their water with coal sludge, causing a multitude of health problems.

"After years of drawing clear water from their wells, families in the small communities clustered along the hill between Matewan and Williamson saw their good water turn bad. Sometimes it would be red, orange or coal-black. Even when it was clear, it often left a bad smell or a burning sensation on their skin."

Blankenship, the Browns and many of their neighbors worked for years to obtain water lines for their communities.

With Sludge Safety Project organizing help, they were finally able to get clean water piped in, and through the Sludge Safety Project they are sharing their experiences with people in other communities, such as Prenter in Boone County, where once-good water has turned bad. To hear the public radio story, go to www.sludgesafety.org and follow the "All we wanted was water" link.