WASHINGTON (AP) — Patchwork federal regulations are inadequate to protect the public from chemical spills such as the one last month that contaminated drinking water for 300,000 West Virginia residents, members of Congress and state officials said at a hearing Tuesday.

Although there was disagreement on some of the specifics, Democrats and Republicans on a Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee agreed that the federal government needs to do more to protect the water supply from toxic chemicals.