VOA常速英语2014--West Virginia Chemical Spill Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without Clean Water 美国西维州埃尔克河被污染，影响居民水源（在线收听）

West Virginia Chemical Spill Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without Clean Water 美国西维州埃尔克河被污染，影响居民水源

For the fifth consecutive day, 300,000 residents in and around the U.S. city of Charleston, West Virginia, have been left without access to clean water, after a chemical spill contaminated the Elk River. Schools and businesses remain closed as a result of the spill, which has stained the area’s water blue-green and made it smell like licorice.

在西维吉尼亚州查尔斯顿市及周边地区的30万居民已经连续五天没有清洁用水了，因为进入埃尔克河的化学物质污染了河水。由于水源污染，学校和企业继续关闭，这次污染使得该地区的水呈蓝绿色，并带有甘草那样的气味。

Officials have no timeline for when the water will be safe to use, but West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said Sunday the clean-up effort has been positive and an end to the crisis is in sight.

官方没有说何时能恢复安全供水，但是西维吉尼亚州州长汤姆林星期天说，有关清理工作正取得积极的进展，结束这次危机指日可待。

"Our team has been diligent in testing samples from throughout the affected area. The numbers look good, and like last night, they are very encouraging. I believe that we are at a point where we can say that we see light at the end of the tunnel. I ask all West Virginians to continue to be patient as we work to safely restore service to the affected areas,” said Tomblin.

汤姆林说：“我们的工作队一直勤勉地测试整个污染地区的水样。所得数据看来不错，比如昨夜的数据很鼓舞人心。我相信我们已经胜利在望。我希望，在我们正在努力恢复受影响地区的安全供水服务之际，所有西维吉尼亚州民继续保持耐心。”

State officials warned residents not to use tap water for anything other than flushing toilets.

该州官员警告居民除了冲洗马桶外，不要饮用自来水。

"We have a baby and so we are trying to find water for him for formula. It really does not matter for us, we are just trying to make sure he has what he needs," said West Virginia resident Beverly Hager.

西维吉尼亚州居民黑格尔说：“我们有一个婴儿，所以我们正为他寻找冲配方奶粉的水。我们无所谓，但是我们必须确定孩子得到所需要的东西。”

Freedom Industries is the company responsible for the chemical spill. Twenty-eight thousand liters (7,500) gallons of a foaming agent used in the coal preparation process leaked into the river on January 9. The toxic chemical then traveled downstream from Freedom Industries to a nearby water treatment plant.

自由工业公司是这次化学物质污染的肇事者。1月9号用来处理加工煤的2万8千公升起泡化学试剂泄漏到埃尔克河里。这种有毒化学物随即流到下游的一个自来水处理工厂。

Kent Carper, president of the Kanawha County Commission, said, ''The condition of the plant was not good... and the danger was known to the previous owner and the danger was known to the current owner."

卡诺瓦县委员会主席卡珀尔说：“水处理厂的情况不佳，先前的厂主了解这种危险，目前的老板也知道。”

"It's kind of a sweet smell, almost. It smells almost like candy," said one woman who is a local resident.

当地一位居民说：“水里像有一种香甜的气味，几乎像糖果那样的香味。”

Tap water in the area is now stained blue-green, and smells sickly sweet.

当地的自来水如今带有蓝绿色，有一种发腻的香甜气味。

"People were coming in here asking me what that smell was, you know. I said, 'You know, it is licorice," said local business owner Fred Petry.

企业主比特里说：“到这儿来的人会问我那是什么气味，我告诉他们：‘这是甘草味。’”

Schools and many business remain closed, as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the West Virginia Army National Guard have delivered nearly one million liters of bottled water to the area.

学校和企业仍然关闭。同时，联邦应急管理署和西维吉尼亚州国民警卫队已经向当地运送了近一百万公升的瓶装水。