Water Advisory / Alert: DHHR clarifies when to call for help

West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Cabinet Secretary Karen L. Bowling has clarified that if residents have consumed the water late this afternoon and are experiencing severe symptoms to contact the poison center at 1-800-222-1222.

Severe symptoms include: severe burning in throat, severe eye irritation, non-stop vomiting, trouble breathing or severe skin irritation such as skin blistering.

If residents have consumed the water and are not experiencing symptoms, most likely they will not be affected and there is no need to call poison center or go to an emergency room.

The affected counties are customers of West Virginia American Water Company located in Kanawha, Boone, Putnam, Lincoln, Logan, Clay, Roane and Jackson counties, as well as customers in Culloden in Cabell County.