Help Stop the Rollbacks on Water Protections in WV!
Many West Virginians depend on surface waters — our streams and rivers — for clean drinking water. These waters also support local economies, from tourism to small businesses, and are central to our communities’ way of life.
Right now, WVDEP is preparing to accept the changes to three key rules based on HB2233 that passed during the 2025 legislative session. These changes guide how pollution is regulated in our waters, including drinking water sources. If adopted as written, these changes could have very real, long-term effects on water quality across the state.
These are not abstract risks. They affect families, local businesses, and communities — now and in the future. For example:
- Streams that ultimately flow into our drinking water sources could lose important protections. This could increase treatment costs for public water utilities, many of which are already underfunded.
- Weakened oversight of pollution discharge permits could silence the public’s voice on increased pollutants discharged into their local waterways. Communities could see higher contaminant levels before they’re even aware there’s an issue.
- Carbon dioxide injected underground could migrate out of abandoned gas wells. Carbon dioxide, though a common gas, can lead to suffocation if inhaled in high concentrations.
Submitting your comment takes just a few minutes, and every voice matters.
Thank you for standing up for safe, clean West Virginia waters for all.
More soon,
WV Rivers Coalition
