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More Scary News About the Water
Whether it's old lead pipes, or issues with Chloramine, it seems that this problem isn't going away in some cities and towns across our country. It's time that the government takes a good, long look at how the infrastructure is failing, and start figuring out a way to prevent further health scares. For those who choose to falsify records/reports (such as inspectors/officials) for the sake of saving a few $$, they should be serving prison time, imo...
http://news.yahoo.com/sebring-ohio-village-205700832.html
www.ibtimes.com/sebring-ohio-next-flint-water-crisis-schools-close-amid-lead-testing-227847
http://news.yahoo.com/sebring-ohio-village-205700832.html
www.ibtimes.com/sebring-ohio-next-flint-water-crisis-schools-close-amid-lead-testing-227847
Just out this morning, the filters that have been purchased and put into place cannot remove the lead. Toxic readings 4 times higher than initially thought and the filters cannot filter enough toxins out of the water to make it safe for consumption. They are looking into alternatives..... I just saw this on the "Today" show.... Too big, no accountability and the local and federal government should get their pants sued off of them. Fire a bunch of them, salvage their salaries and send them packing with no benefits.
Just my opinion. There are people out there who would love to have those jobs. They'd love to come in every morning and put in a whole days work for an honest wage and those cushy government benefits. Fire the turds and employ someone with a backbone. (I'm betting it wont happen.)
Just my opinion. There are people out there who would love to have those jobs. They'd love to come in every morning and put in a whole days work for an honest wage and those cushy government benefits. Fire the turds and employ someone with a backbone. (I'm betting it wont happen.)
I think what makes this so aggravating is the fact that there was a total disregard for public safety, in both instances. When it came to agencies/departments who were involved, they displayed a bare minimum approach to their duties and showed a complete lack of compassion for peoples health. That's disgraceful..
Having worked for a government entity for a couple of summers as a kid, I got to see a level of dysfunction that I couldn't believe existed. One summer I worked for the county and the following summer I worked for the city. both departments were so bloated with 'bosses' that all anyone had to do to cover their butts was point fingers at other people. Then much like now, these people had the inability to take responsibility for the things they did and didn't do.
I could go on but its anecdotal and really probably isn't news to anyone.
I could go on but its anecdotal and really probably isn't news to anyone.
teko, I thought heads needed to roll back in the '90's when I finally figured out what was happening... Once I got into a position in which I knew some DEP personnel and could document what was happening, I could make it happen, once in a while. I saw a few operators lose their license for falsifying records, some owners fined for refusing to comply with the rules, etc... I helped with experimental testing, etc. I really loved and miss my job, even after being retired for nearly 5 years.
I wish I'd had a few more years to give it; at least in my area, I could have made a bit more of an impact... while I think sometimes, people read things and don't fully understand what they're reading, so they get more upset than they should, safe water is something we must have.
Government regulations "did" get a bit overwhelming because some people wanted to keep flexing their muscles and making new rules... all they really needed to do was enforce the laws on the books.
If a water system is out of compliance for so many days/weeks and so many parameters, they should be required to, either spend the money to update their treatment system, delivery system (piping to individual connections). If they refuse to update treatment or delivery system, they should be required to provide bottled water for every connection on their system... That's a great incentive to get compliance, since bottled water isn't cheap and some connections require thousands of gallons/day, for drinking, cooking, etc...
It really does get very interesting at times...
I wish I'd had a few more years to give it; at least in my area, I could have made a bit more of an impact... while I think sometimes, people read things and don't fully understand what they're reading, so they get more upset than they should, safe water is something we must have.
Government regulations "did" get a bit overwhelming because some people wanted to keep flexing their muscles and making new rules... all they really needed to do was enforce the laws on the books.
If a water system is out of compliance for so many days/weeks and so many parameters, they should be required to, either spend the money to update their treatment system, delivery system (piping to individual connections). If they refuse to update treatment or delivery system, they should be required to provide bottled water for every connection on their system... That's a great incentive to get compliance, since bottled water isn't cheap and some connections require thousands of gallons/day, for drinking, cooking, etc...
It really does get very interesting at times...
I agree completely; it's extremely maddening and sad.
Thank you for the insightful comment ~ very interesting info. you've shared here.
Not surprisingly, everybody involved in this mess is pointing fingers at the other person ~ everyone from the plant manager, the mayor, the DEQ, and EPA. Basically, it's a huge train wreck...
Not surprisingly, everybody involved in this mess is pointing fingers at the other person ~ everyone from the plant manager, the mayor, the DEQ, and EPA. Basically, it's a huge train wreck...
I only have one comment on this. Heads need to freakin ROLL! This? in the USA? unforgiveable.
I worked in the water and wastewater treatment fields for 20 years and am a licensed water treatment plant operator... Like so many things, there are already plenty of laws/rules already on the books; they simply don't always enforce them!!
In Florida, the Department of Environmental Protection has jurisdiction, so long as the rules are, at least, as stringent as those of EPA; many of them are more stringent.
One of the strictest rules is in record keeping and anyone falsifying records should have their license pulled immediately, but all too often, it doesn't happen.
There are also strict guidelines for testing, which aren't always adhered to, but again, the rules aren't always enforced... All testing must follow EPA's Safe Drinking Water rules.
As far as infrastructure is concerned, for the most part, DEP/EPA has nothing to do with that... There is money available for municipalities or other water system owners to update their systems, but if they refuse to take advantage of it, there's little DEP/EPA can do about it, other than fine the owners if the water does not comply with contaminant levels, which isn't done very often, either - at least, in the 20 yrs I dealt with them. System owners are given ample chances to bring their system into compliance, often at the health risk of the people using the water...
Our Florida Rural Water Association also works closely with system owners, in a effort to get them to keep their systems up to date, but again, if the owner refuses to update the system, there's little anyone can do; that includes a municipality where there's a city or county commission that refuses to spend the necessary money... then the people have to get involved...
Our FDEP people were much more knowledgeable than most of the people from EPA or the US Department of Health that came around to do inspections, but FDEP was cut drastically right after I retired and last I heard, they didn't have enough personnel to even do the required inspections...
In Florida, the Department of Environmental Protection has jurisdiction, so long as the rules are, at least, as stringent as those of EPA; many of them are more stringent.
One of the strictest rules is in record keeping and anyone falsifying records should have their license pulled immediately, but all too often, it doesn't happen.
There are also strict guidelines for testing, which aren't always adhered to, but again, the rules aren't always enforced... All testing must follow EPA's Safe Drinking Water rules.
As far as infrastructure is concerned, for the most part, DEP/EPA has nothing to do with that... There is money available for municipalities or other water system owners to update their systems, but if they refuse to take advantage of it, there's little DEP/EPA can do about it, other than fine the owners if the water does not comply with contaminant levels, which isn't done very often, either - at least, in the 20 yrs I dealt with them. System owners are given ample chances to bring their system into compliance, often at the health risk of the people using the water...
Our Florida Rural Water Association also works closely with system owners, in a effort to get them to keep their systems up to date, but again, if the owner refuses to update the system, there's little anyone can do; that includes a municipality where there's a city or county commission that refuses to spend the necessary money... then the people have to get involved...
Our FDEP people were much more knowledgeable than most of the people from EPA or the US Department of Health that came around to do inspections, but FDEP was cut drastically right after I retired and last I heard, they didn't have enough personnel to even do the required inspections...
I understand where you are coming from. Although there's nothing knowledgeable or conscientious that is going on with the EPA offices in Michigan and Ohio; I guess we should be impressed by the fact that their regional director recently resigned. You've been fortunate to have a positive experience w/ the Texas Commission; too bad that can't be said throughout the U.S.
Well, I agree with putting our tax dollars towards repairing/maintaining the infrastructure and doing what is best for the people. I'm a firm believer in 'Charity begins at home'. On the other hand, just because the EPA has had their budget cut, doesn't mean that we should expect them to perform at an unacceptable level and lower their standards of quality. Otherwise, what's the point of having them around? They should be held accountable for being less than honest and endangering peoples lives. Maybe it's time to do away with the EPA, and put a department together that operates on a state level ~ an idea that's been around for awhile now...
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Rivers, lakes, and aquifers don't pay any attention to state lines. For that reason alone you need Federal oversight. Having had water and waste water systems that I've helped maintain inspected by both the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the US Public Health Service, I've found the Federal inspectors to be much more knowledgeable and conscientious.
In the spirit of unbridled greed ( capitalism run amok) and playing cop to the world, we have neglected to put our tax dollars where they belong~
which would include repairing and maintaining the infrastructure of our country, and doing what is best for the common good, i.e. the American people.
which would include repairing and maintaining the infrastructure of our country, and doing what is best for the common good, i.e. the American people.
The EPA is lousy. What I find interesting is that both Ohio and Michigan fall under the same responsible EPA regional office (region 5)...
The EPA is still a pretty formidable foe. When they aren't out destroying dams retaining mining waste and allowing it to run into rivers they are.... well.... uhm..... blaming other people.
What do you expect when the EPA and other gov't. agencies responsible for your health have been downsized and defunded in the name of 'smaller gov't' and less 'gov't interference in business'. Welcome to the new norm. If you want the infrastructure we were accustomed to 50 years ago, you need the tax structure we had in place 50 years ago.
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