Wheeling Using River Water but Urges Restraint

WHEELING, W.Va. — The city began depending on the Ohio River for all its water again today after levels of diesel fuel from a million-gallon spill fell to treatable levels, but authorities warned that business as usual could still drain reserves.

City Engineer and Public Works Director Lloyd Adams said Wheeling’s Ohio River water intakes were turned on fully overnight, but barges that had been pumping clean water will be kept on standby and will resume work if pollution levels in the river rise.

A makeshift system had kept drinking water flowing since the fuel spill into the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh reached Wheeling’s water intakes Friday.

City Manager Mike Nau said reservoir levels were rising today as the river water began flowing. Nau said the the city’s main reservoir, with a 3.5-million-gallon capacity, contained slightly more than 2 million gallons this morning. The tank was down to 500,000 gallons Sunday morning.