Fredericktown Water Supply Deemed Safe Following Critical Minerals Recovery Plant Fire

Fredericktown, Mo. (KFMO) - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) has confirmed that the drinking water in Fredericktown remains uncontaminated following the fire at the Critical Minerals Recovery lithium battery facility. On Friday, the department released preliminary results from water samples taken from wells in Fredericktown and Madison County Public Water Supply District #1, revealing no unsafe contaminant levels.

Testing for additional contaminants continues, with MoDNR officials cautioning that full results may take several more days. “We will provide the results of that analysis when they are available,” the department stated.

The MoDNR has not yet released findings on nearby waterways, including Village Creek and the St. Francis River, where thousands of fish were found dead shortly after the fire. While these waterways don’t supply drinking water, they are essential for local agriculture and livestock. MoDNR says that waterway testing results could be delayed due to recent flooding in Missouri, which has complicated sample collection.

Local residents are concerned about the environmental impact, after dead fish were found in nearby rivers.

MoDNR is expected to release further test results late in the week of November 11.