The Mayor of Nowata says the city's water emergency is over following a chemical plant explosion in Kansas on Tuesday.
Mayor David Lynn says the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality gave the city permission to resume pumping water from the Verdigris River Friday morning.
This comes a day after water testing found a chemical used in antifreeze had leaked into the river. The discovered Ethylene Glycol is believed to be from the Aerosol plant explosion.
The DEQ ordered cities that use the Verdigris River as a supplier to shut off their water after the tragedy in Neodesha spread to parts of Green Country.
RELATED: Evacuations end after explosion at Aerosol plant in Neodesha, Kansas, 3 people injured | Neodesha receives approval to draw water from alternate source | KDHE issues boil order for Coffeyville
The explosion on Tuesday injured three people and also shut down water operations in the town. Towns nearly an hour away were also forced to do the same.
“After the explosion, some of the chemicals drifted into the river, which is our water source, along with a lot of other towns going up north,” Lynn said.
Those towns included Lenapah, Independence, Delaware, and Coffeyville.
“Walmart was generous enough to donate a thousand cases of water to us… Cherokee Nation has also donated water to us,” Lynn said.
Volunteers spent Thanksgiving day handing out bottled water to those in need. The National Guard also brought in large tanks to assist, and FEMA is offering the federal government's support.
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