NATION : Fuel Slick Perils Water Supply
- Share via
PITTSBURGH — A 30-mile fuel slick drifting down the Allegheny River today threatened the drinking water supply for about 1 million people, and some schools were closed to conserve water.
One town of 15,000 people has already had to have water trucked in. Other communities drew water from tributaries to the Allegheny, rather than the river itself, to build up reserves.
The slick resulted from a landslide that broke a pipeline Friday and released 85,000 to 98,000 gallons of gasoline, kerosene and other fuels near Freeport.
Pittsburgh joined with other communities in calling for voluntary conservation of water as it prepared to close its treatment plant. Other treatment centers upstream were already closed.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
John Orr was a renowned fire investigator who was also a prolific arsonist, and whose thinly veiled novel helped to convict him. In this episode we hear from the fire captain who first suspected him—and from Orr himself.
Madison McGhee is joined by legendary Dateline host Josh Mankiewicz and esteemed L.A. Times Reporter Richard Winton as the three of them dive into all-things Menendez Brothers, the good, the bad, and the still unknown.
NPR climate editor Sadie Babits talks about why the media has long overlooked the climate crisis, and how that’s starting to change.
