500 gallons of a water used to clean up leaked into the Elk River in January . On January 9 , more than 7,000 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol ( MCHM ) -- a licorice-odored chemical used to clean coal -- leaked into the Elk River from a Freedom storage tank . The water supply for 300,000 in the Charleston area was cut for days . Several lawsuits were filed against Freedom Industries . A judge still has to approve the lawsuit .
500 gallons of a water used to clean up leaked into the Elk River in January . The water supply for 300,000 in the Charleston area was cut for days . Several lawsuits were filed against Freedom Industries . A judge still has to approve the lawsuit .