Jan 14, 2014

West Virginia officials on Tuesday lifted a ban on drinking tap water from 35,000 customers who had been affected by a chemical spill that left the state’s water supply nearly unusable for hundreds of thousands since last week.

: A sign announces that a restaurant is open for business in Charleston, West Virginia, January 13, 2014. West Virginia officials on Monday lifted a ban on drinking or bathing with tap water in some areas of the state hit by a chemical spill that affected hundreds of thousands of people for five days, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: A sign is posted on Adelphia Sports Bar and Grille is pictured in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, January 13, 2014. West Virginia officials on Monday lifted a ban on drinking or bathing with tap water in some areas of the state hit by a chemical spill that affected hundreds of thousands of people for five days, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Shelves at Krogers remain empty after running out of water in Kanawha City a neighborhood of Charleston on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: Book Store manager Dan Carlisle flushes the water system by draining water onto sidewalk at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston as water service begins to return in Charleston, West Virginia, January 13, 2014. West Virginia officials on Monday lifted a ban on drinking or bathing with tap water in some areas of the state hit by a chemical spill that affected hundreds of thousands of people for five days, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Jenette Wheatcraft (R) and Sandy Kee (2nd R) are served with paper trays and bottled water in Bluegrass Kitchen, one of the few conditionally reopened restaurants in Charleston, West Virginia January 13, 2014. West Virginia officials on Monday lifted a ban on drinking or bathing with tap water in some areas of the state hit by a chemical spill that affected hundreds of thousands of people for five days, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Charleston Fire Department opened fire hydrants in an attempt to flush the public water system on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: Known as ‘buffalos’, water tanks from Northern PA were arrive at a steady pace at West Virginia American Water on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: Freedom Industries on Barlow St on the banks of the Elk River is seen on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: A cat is provided clean water after Kanawha/Charleston Humane Associations scrambled to find water for their animals on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: An unidentified worker at Freedom Industries shovels NAPA premium oil absorbent on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: The banks of the Elk River, where Kanawha County emergency services eventually determined the chemical had seeped through a secondary containment barrier, is seen on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: West Virginia American Water customers line up for water at the Gestamp Plant after waiting hours for a water truck, only to have it empited in about 20 minutes on January 10, 2014 in South Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: Charleston Paramedics & First Responders responded to a man unresponsive on the banks of the Elk River on January 10, 2014 in Charleston, West Virginia. Authorities first thought it might be related to the chemical leak. West Virginia American Water determined Thursday MCHM chemical had “overwhelmed” the plant’s capacity to keep it out of the water from a spill at Freedom Industries in Charleston. An unknown amount of the hazardous chemical contaminated the public water system for potentially 300,000 people in West Virginia. (Tom Hindman/Getty Images)

: Diners are served with plastic cups and paper trays at Bluegrass Kitchen, one of a small number of conditionally reopened restaurants in the area, in Charleston, West Virginia, January 13, 2014. West Virginia officials on Monday lifted a ban on drinking or bathing with tap water in some areas of the state hit by a chemical spill that affected hundreds of thousands of people for five days, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: A sign on the door notifies customers that a restaurant is closed due to the water emergency in South Charleston, West Virginia January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents spent a second night unable to bathe, shower or drink tap water on Saturday after a chemical spill into the Elk River near the state capital of Charleston, although chemical levels were declining. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Boats sit in the Elk River in front of the Freedom Industries plant in Charleston, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents spent a second night unable to bathe, shower or drink tap water on Saturday after a chemical spill into the Elk River near the state capital of Charleston, although chemical levels were declining. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Desaree Rush of Charleston loads up her van with water containers after making a water pick up for the elderly residents in her neighborhood in Charleston, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water January 10, 2014 after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Melvina Lang (R) of Dunbar, West Virginia gets a bucket filled with water at the South Charleston water filling station in Charleston, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water January 10, 2014 after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Cathy Mabe of Spring Hill, West Virginia makes use of a couple of watering cans to carry water at a bring-your-own-containers water filling station in South Charleston, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water January 10, 2014 after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: A fireman from the Poca Volunteer Fire Department unloads water from a tractor trailer at Poca High School in Poca, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water January 10, 2014 after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Cardboard boxes are discarded as the Poca Volunteer Fire Department distributes bottled water at Poca High School in Poca, West Virginia, January 11, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water January 10, 2014 after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: A city worker distributes water at a local store in Charleston, West Virginia January 10, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water on Friday after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: Local residents pick up drinking water from a tanker truck at Riverside High School in Charleston, West Virginia January 10, 2014. Up to 300,000 West Virginia residents were told not to drink tap water on Friday after a chemical spill called its safety into question, and health officials said water in the affected area should only be used for flushing toilets and fighting fires. (REUTERS/Lisa Hechesky)

: A sign on the entrance of the Speedway announces they have water and ice for sale in Nitro, W.V., on Sunday, January 12, 2014. Water restrictions affecting 300,000 people in nine West Virginia counties continued for a fifth day on Monday following a chemical spill into the Elk River.(Photo for The Washington Post by Ty Wright)

: Police officers and firefighters hand out cases of water to those in need at the Charleston Fire Department Station One in Charleston, W.V., on Saturday, January 11, 2014. About 5000 gallons of a chemical used in the coal cleaning process leaked into the Elk River, forcing official to restrict water use by 300,000 West Virginia residents in nine counties. (Photo for The Washington Post by Ty Wright)

More than 300,000 consumers were affected after as much as 7,500 gallons (28,000 liters) of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, or crude MCHM, leaked into the river.

“We’re getting back to normal stage by stage,” U.S. Senator Joe Manchin told MSNBC on Tuesday. “I would say by tomorrow everything should be back up and running.”

Officials said on Monday that it might be several days before the entire system, with its hundreds of miles of pipe, is safe to use.

Tens of thousands cleared to start using water in West Virginia

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