Vandalism at a Power Substation Leads to Non-PBC Transformer Oil Spill and Potential Drinking Water Contamination in Wayne County, West Virginia

     I well remember the January 2014 Elk River chemical spill near Charleston, West Virginia, that led to 300,000 people in nine counties being without water for an extended time period. About 7500 gallons of a coal-cleaning chemical leaked from a tank into the river. I remember going to an industry event there at a restaurant, being served bottled water a few weeks after the event. The strong odor of the chemical, which some water customers could smell in their water before it was shut off, underscored the obvious danger. It was a big event that took a few months to recover from and reinforced distrust in the coal industry. After that spill, groundwater protection in the area was beefed up. In 2023, I interviewed for a job as a groundwater geologist in Charleston. I think it was with the West Virginia Dept. of Health. Although I didn’t get the job (I accepted another job), it was a good interview, and I found the people who interviewed me to be nice and cordial.

     Now another potentially dangerous spill has occurred in Wayne County, near the town of Wayne, which is near the city of Huntington. It is thought to have been caused by deliberate vandalism at a power substation. The chemical spilled here is described as a non-PCB transformer oil, a petroleum-based mineral oil commonly used as an electrical insulating fluid. The total spill is thought to be 4900 gallons, so it is a pretty big spill.  

“The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said the spill started on Tuesday {January 13} when a substation on a “Mine permit” was vandalized, causing oil to leak into the areas of Right Fork of Camp Creek and Camp Creek towards Twelvepole Creek.”

     A ‘Do Not Consume’ order has been issued to all residents of Wayne and all water customers of Wayne's water utility. WVDEP is overseeing cleanup with the help of contractors. Cleanup involves “controlled movement and skimming of isolated material so it can be effectively captured and removed, with additional confirmatory sampling underway.”

“The Town of Wayne, in coordination with DH {WV Health Dept.}, initiated sampling of raw and finished (after treatment) water on Friday, January 16. Preliminary testing conducted by system personnel and partner laboratories showed results within regulatory limits, with no petroleum-related impacts identified. Additional samples have been submitted to a state-certified laboratory for final confirmation. Additional preliminary distribution system samples were collected on Sunday, January 18, and delivered to a partner laboratory, with those results also reported as within regulatory limits. While preliminary testing has not identified petroleum-related impacts to the water system, DH and the Town of Wayne are aware of reports of odors in residential water.”

     The Wayne water utility began uni-directionally flushing its system a few days ago.

“The Uni-directional flushing will begin at the treatment plant and follow the flow of water through the entire distribution system. After flushing is completed, samples will be sent to a certified laboratory and if results are non-detectable, residential flushing instructions will be provided.”

“The town’s ‘Do Not Consume’ order will remain in place during the flushing and testing process. The overall process is expected to take seven to 10 days.”

     A post by Wayne officials noted:

“It appears that the location, source, and amount of the initial contaminant have been identified and mostly contained.”

     A state of emergency was declared for the county, and schools have been closed. Alternative sources of water are being delivered to residents and businesses.

     There is also a criminal investigation underway of the vandalism that resulted in the spill.

     Compared to the 2014 spill, this one has a better chance of being cleaned up as it is farther from any water intakes and may be able to be isolated to the streams that are presumably tributary to the river source of the utility's water. 

Update: I heard a radio story that said the water tests from Friday, January 23, showed the presence of hydrocarbons in the drinking water system. Thus, it was a good idea to flush the system all the way out unidirectionally.

   

 

References:

 

Wayne County Water Update: Town of Wayne Begins Flushing Water System. WV.gov. January 20, 2026. Wayne County Water Update: Town of Wayne Begins Flushing Water System

2014 Elk River chemical spill. Wikipedia. 2014 Elk River chemical spill - Wikipedia

‘Do Not Consume’ water order issued to Wayne residents following oil spill. Christian Meffert and Lane Ball. WOWK 13 News. January 18, 2026. Wayne residents under 'Do Not Consume' water order

Wayne County officials take precautions after oil spill, ‘do not consume’ order in effect. Jesten Richardson. Last updated. January 21. 2026. Wayne County WV 'do not consume' water order in  affect | Advisories | wvgazettemail.com