The Alliance for Appalachia

From Coal River Mountain Watch

For years the residents of Prenter Hollow in Boone County, WV have been drinking and bathing in contaminated groundwater.  The toxic slurry that is left after coal is processed before going to the power plant was injected into underground mine shafts in the hills above Prenter Hollow.  After years of gravity and blasting form nearby mountaintop removal operations, the slurry made it’s way into the wells of the residents of Prenter Hollow.

Black water spilling out of a hot water in Prenter heater less than one year old.

Residents in Prenter got organized and demanded clean drinking water.  After a year of campaigning and following the lead of folks in the community of Rawl in Mingo County who went through this same experience, the plans and much of the funding are there to lay water lines throughout the community.  But even with being bumped up to the top of the list, those lines are at least two years away.

The penny on the left (2007) sat in a bathroom in Prenter Hollow, the penny on the Right (1996) was in my pocket.

Cancer, kidney problems and stomach problems are very common in Prenter, not to mention that almost everyone has had their gall bladder removed.  Drinking this water for another two years is not a healthy option for the resident of Prenter, so we are helping set up a program to deliver clean water right to people’s homes.  The PSD put a spigot on the end of the line just short of the mouth of Prenter Hollow.  We put 50 gallon drums with pumps at all the houses and will be filling them regularly.

Please visit www.PrenterWaterFund.org to learn more and donate to help provide clean water to the residents of Prenter Hollow.