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Topic: What is going on with Flint water?
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

EM SUBWSSION NO.: EME 4812014
ADOPTED: 8/30/2014
BY TUE EMERGENCY MANAGER:
Resolution Authorizing Approval of Transfer of Funds from Water Fund Balance to Capital Improvement Fund for the Water Plant Operations
The City of Flint Utilities Department is desirous of proceeding with professional engineering and capital improvement services for the implementation of placing the Flint Water Plant into operation using the Flint River as a primary drinking water source for two years and then converting to the Karegondi Water Authority (KWA) delivered lake water and;

The City of Flint Utilities Department is requesting the reallocation of funding in an amount not to exceed $3,150,000.00 be transferred from Water Fund Balance due to purchase orders from fiscal year 2014 not
carried over; and

The funding of $3,150,000.00 will cover professional services account 591-545.300-801.000 in an amount of $1,700,000.00 and equipment account 591-545.300-977.000 in an amount of $1,450,000.00
and;

IT RESOLVED, That appropriate City Officials do all things necessary to transfer in an amount not to exceed $3,150,000.00 from Water Fund balance to accounts 591-545.300-801.000 (1,700,00.000) and 59 1-545.300-977.000 ($ 1,450.000.00) to continue the implementation of Water Plant operations.

RESOLUTION STAFF REVIEW
Date:
Agenda Item Title: Resolution Authorizing Approval of Transfer of Water Fund Balance to
Capital Improvement Fund for the Water Plant Operations
Prepared by:
Yolanda Gray, Utilities Accounting Coordinator
Summary of Proposed Action:
Resolution Authorizing Approval of Transfer of Funds from Water Fund Balance to Capital Improvement Fund for the Water Plant Operations. The City of Flint Utilities Department has been taking the necessary steps to place the Water Plant into operation using the Flint River as a primary drinking water source for
two (2) years and then converting to the KWA delivered lake water. The reallocation of funding not to exceed $3,150,000.00 is required due to fiscal year 2014 purchase orders not carried over. The funding
will cover professional services account 591-545.300-801.000 ($1,700,000.00) and equipment account 591-545.300-977.000 ($1,450,000.00).
Post Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:44 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Quote:

The City of Flint Utilities Department is desirous of proceeding with professional engineering and capital improvement services for the implementation of placing the Flint Water Plant into operation using the Flint River as a primary drinking water source for two years and then converting to the Karegondi Water Authority (KWA) delivered lake water and;

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does this mean they had not completed the necessary steps to use the river as a water source?
Post Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:47 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

facebook


Terry Bankert

.

WE WANT SAFEWATER. We are not going to take this any more.

http://youtu.be/bsxenQNHmo0




WE ARE NOT GOING To take this ANYMORE...we demand safe streets, safe water, and quality education .


via YouTube Capture


youtu.be
Post Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:06 pm 
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J HUNTINGWORTH TUNE
F L I N T O I D

Webs,as to the East Side water, I believe most of those neighborhoods are closer to the Water Plant than the West side so the water they receive is fresher ( higher Cl2 residual )
Post Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:12 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Terry Bankert

· Flint, MI · Edited ·
.

A Facebook friend Denesha said:Yes I'm live in the city of Flint, and yes we need answers to why we are using the Flint River water for our water source I put a water filtration system on my kitchen sink it said it would last 3 months it only lasted 2 week. I replaced the filter and it only lasted 2 weeks why are we paying such high water bills for the quality of this water I cannot brush my teeth with the Flint River water I cannot cook with the Flint River water it smells and no you cannot drink The Flint River Water Taste Terrible We Need Answers Now!!!


David Lyle Roach Filtered and unfiltered Flint water.


David Lyle Roach's photo.
(big difference in the photos)



Annette Baumgart-Eldridge That is just plain gross!!!! The water never used to be like that when I was there!!! Sad, Everyone knew you didn't drink out of the Flint River!!


David Beardslee I really hope no one drinks the water out of the flint river.
I have cleaned the flint river since 2008 I know that River.
That River is no where near ready to use as a source of drinking water.
There was never a major cleanup or a draw down of the river to get to the contaminants .
The reason being is the D.E.Q's strong recommendation to "maintain water levels high enough for water pressure to hold back contaminated ground water".

..
Caroline Smigiel Thanks for the information


David Beardslee And btw did anyone notice DPW HAD THESE hydrants flowing everywhere Monday ?
This is at Dprt and Atherton our money pouring on the ground


David Beardslee's photo.


Caroline Smigiel Class action lawsuit perhaps?



David Beardslee Need victims for a lawsuit don't we?
I would prefer there were no victims, unfortunately this water is bad and there may be long term health problems.
There is definitely a case for monetary compensation the way they are just dumping it on the ground like that.


Denesha James Yes I saw the hydrant flowing on Atherton and Dort Hwy on Monday! Yes I feel & think the Flint River Water is Affecting our Health just Smelling it when you turn your faucet on.Shower&Bathing in this Flint River Water is not Safe!! I would like to know
Post Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:59 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

How many positive tests constitute "multiple positive tests" and was the health of some Flint residents compromised by the city being slow to act?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Killbreath discussed on his show how he got sick both times he recently drank Flint River water.

Over a month ago I drank a small glass of water at Tommy Z's and got sick . Routine blood tests showed an elevated white cell count. I had chills and fever. I have a damaged immune system from repeated pesticide exposure while working for GCCAA.

Less than two days before the advisory, my dogs got sikc and threw up. When they removed the advisory, I once again gave them tap water. Again they got sick and they are back on bottled water. I cooked chicken to help their tummes.
Post Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:08 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint EM Darnell Earley speaks out about boil water advisories, - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI


EM Darnell Earley speaks out about boil water advisories, 911 consolidation

Posted: Sep 11, 2014 11:54 AM EDT


Updated: Sep 11, 2014 12:32 PM EDT



By Jessica Dupnack - email

FLINT (WJRT) - (09/11/14) - Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley is speaking out about the city's boil water advisories and a 911 consolidation.

A news conference was held Thursday at City Hall.

As we reported, the boil water advisory was lifted Tuesday afternoon for residents on the west and north side. Flint's director of public works says the main cause for the advisory was a broken valve on the Buick City site. It cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to repair.

Another topic of discussion was the consolidation of Flint 911 with the Genesee County system. Final arrangements are being made for that consolidation. Flint 911 will join the Genesee County consortium next year.

The transition should be complete in June of 2015.

Currently, there are 28 employees with Flint 911. Some will have the opportunity to transfer to the county, but there is no guarantee that all those jobs will be preserved.

The city expects to save about $1 million annually by consolidating. Another benefit - more modernized equipment should speed up 911 response time for Flint residents.

"As a member of the consortium, our staff will have the same equipment as other agencies in the county. And when that equipment is upgraded, Flint will be as well," Earley said.

Coming up at ABC 12 news at 5, we will have more on the 911 transition and we will explain what the city is doing to prevent future water safety issues.
Post Thu Sep 11, 2014 12:05 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint flushes out latest water contamination, but repeat boil advisories show system is vulnerable


Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on September 14, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated September 14, 2014 at 10:22 AM


FLINT, MI -- The city finally flushed stubborn bacteria out of water lines on Flint's west side last week.

If only getting rid of the potential for more contamination and boil advisories was just as easy.

"Part of the (plan) is to be more proactive" with upgrading "an old (water distribution) system," said Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley. "We have the staff and capabilities to address this so we don't have to get to a point where we have residents boiling water" all the time.

Over the span of 22 days, three separate boil advisories were issued in Flint neighborhoods after repeat positive tests for total coliform bacteria in August and September -- a situation that a state official and a leading environmental expert at Michigan State University say is a sign that Flint's water distribution system has a shaky foundation and is vulnerable to other types of contamination as well.

City officials say that's not going to change overnight, but Earley's budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 includes roughly $11 million for water and sewer infrastructure, "the kind of thing that hasn't been done in decades," city spokesman Jason Lorenz said.

Flint's water distribution system includes hundreds of miles of water mains, many of which are more than 70 years old; nearly 4,000 fire hydrants, many of which are more than 50 years old; and more than 7,200 valves, which haven't been replaced until they have failed, according to the city's new master plan.

Flint Public Works Director Howard Croft said a broken valve may have played a part in the city's two most recent boil advisories, preventing proper flushing of transmission lines after bacteria was discovered.

"We would not want to say, 'Expect a lot of boil advisories,' ... (but) it's important we move forward with capital improvement plans," Croft said after the latest advisories were lifted.


FL_MAP_BoilWater (2).jpg
Flint issued water boil advisories Aug. 16, Sept. 5, and Sept. 6 in three separate areas of the city, each on the west side of Flint, telling residents and businesses to boil or use bottled water until samples tested clear of total coliform bacteria.

Earley said the positive tests for total coliform were an indicator of weaknesses in the water system system but not "an actual threat to citizen safety."

Both an engineer for the state Department of Environmental Quality and Joan B. Rose, Homer Nowlin chair in water research at Michigan State University, agreed that positive total coliform tests are less of a public health threat than a warning to communities that they need to make fixes to distribution systems.

"These bacteria are an indicator that we don't have a tight system ... We have some kind of breach ," Rose said. "It should be a wake-up call to any community."

Although one Flint water sample tested positive for fecal coliform bacteria last month, Flint officials have said they believe a sampling error is to blame for that result.

Fecal contamination can lead to health problems and may arise from sources such as combined sewer overflows, leaking septic tanks and sewer malfunctions.

In a typical year, there are fewer than three such reports of positive tests for fecal coliform bacteria in public drinking water systems, according to Mike Prysby, district engineer for the state Department of Environmental Quality.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says total coliforms are a group of closely related bacteria that are usually not harmful to humans, but can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea and vomiting.

Although not usually serious threat to a healthy person, coliform bacteria can lead to more serious problems for people with weakened immune systems, such as the very young or elderly and have been used for decades to measure the vulnerability of a water system to fecal contamination.

The positive tests can also cause residents to lose faith in the water distribution system -- something city officials want to avoid just a few months after starting to use the Flint River as the city's drinking water source.

Diane Fletcher, who lives on West McClellan Street, said she noticed a change in her water after the Flint River switch in April and worried about the latest water advisories -- even though she lives outside the advisory areas.

"I'm not very confident about it at all," Fletcher said of the city's water. "We haven't used the water to cook with, and I don't want to bathe in it, but I can't get around it."

Flint officials have said that testing shows water leaving its treatment plant meets all drinking water standards, another indication that contamination comes from the distribution system rather than the river.

"I wouldn't panic," Rose said of boil water notices. "I think it's a good idea to follow (advisories and to realize) the system is in some need of maintenance and repairs."
Post Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:09 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The city has long been aware of the problem within the water and sewer system. During the Williamson administration it was estimated at over $50 million to fix the problem.

Federal block funds could have been used to fix some of these issues in low income neighborhoods. Instead money has been wasted on three changes of developers in Smith Village and general funds. The changes also meant changes in engineering and other costs.

The Water and sewer plants have fixed costs that probably will not be lessened to any great extent. As population continues to leave, there are fewer people paying into the system and the costs will go up. As water costs go up, more people will leave.

The resolutions of Earley indicate the city plans to build more housing near downtown. The city is also using more federal money to buy homes and renovate them, such as one on Keyes. They have not been able to resolve the lawsuit with Operation Unification over the disposition of the 14 homes he was to fix with federal money. Some were turned into rentals hen thy were supposed to be sold. The media praised the phony sales and even interviewed the alleged purchasers. One home ws given to another developer to finish, but north end vandalism has increased the cost threefold.

Energy costs in these plants could have been lessened with the Department of Energy grant that was lost. A sweetheart deal took the contract from the Ypsilanti firm, who had the experience to do the job, and gave the funding to the new firm of kate Fields, Advanced Solutions. The CWAC did not accept her proposal, which included Greg Eason as her CEO, but certain council people manipulated the deal to give it to Advanced Solutions. The city had to pay back money and lost the remainder of the contract.
Post Mon Sep 15, 2014 4:48 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint River water complicating city's efforts to battle contamination, boil advisories

Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on September 18, 2014 at 6:30 PM



FLINT, MI -- City officials are learning something in a hurry about water chemistry:

Keeping Flint River water ready to drink by the time it reaches faucets throughout the city is a lot trickier than buying treated Lake Huron water from the city of Detroit.

Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft won't say the city's use of the river water contributed to a recent rash of positive tests for total coliform bacteria.

The DPW director has pointed to the city's aging water distribution system as the biggest obstacle to flushing bacteria out of water lines.

But Croft told a City Council committee Wednesday, Sept. 17, that river water -- in use here for five months -- has proven hard to treat and to keep safe from bacteria because of variables that wouldn't be factors in lake water, like temperature fluctuation and rain.

After three water boil advisories in 22 days, city officials have focused on the need to upgrade Flint's water distribution system rather than deficiencies of river water.

Flint's water distribution system includes hundreds of miles of water mains, many of which are more than 70 years old; nearly 4,000 fire hydrants, many of which are more than 50 years old; and more than 7,200 valves, which haven't been replaced until they have failed, according to the city's new master plan.

"We're trying to stay away from a whole chemistry discussion," Croft said when asked if river water may have contributed to recent positive tests for total coliform bacteria.

"(The water) is coming out of the plant in great condition," Croft said. "It's clear and drinkable."

But somewhere outside the plant, which is located on the city's east side, the water's residual chlorine has dropped -- particularly on the west side of the city -- leaving it susceptible to contamination.

Mike Prysby, district engineer for the state Department of Environmental Quality, said river water requires more chlorine than water from a lake, and city employees have to calculate how much to treat water without ending up with too little residual chlorine on the west side of the city, farthest away from the water treatment plant, and too much chlorine on the east side, much closer to the plant.

"That's the challenge here," Prysby said. "You can pump it up too much and then you start getting complaints about high chlorine" levels.

Several city council members have continued to ask questions about the role of the Flint River in recent boil water advisories since the two most recent warnings were lifted Sept. 9.

Flint may need millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements, they've said, but the same water distribution system didn't produce so many boil water advisories when lake water was used.

"It was a clearer, purer water and easier to treat," Councilman Eric Mays said. "River water is a little harder to treat."

Flint shut off the intake of lake water purchased from the city of Detroit on April 25, opting instead to treat Flint River water until the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline is complete.

The city and Genesee County are partners in the KWA, which is building a new pipeline to Lake Huron, a project that's expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

In the meantime, city water plant workers have had a crash course in learning how to treat river water, bumping up their use of lime, for example, in an effort to cut down on water hardness.

This month, in response to several days of positive tests for total coliform bacteria, the city added chlorine in the area of a boil advisory and attempted to flush the system by opening hydrants.

An engineer for the state DEQ and a water researcher at Michigan State University agreed that positive total coliform tests are less of a public health threat than a warning to communities that they need to make fixes to distribution systems.

Positive tests for total coliform bacteria are an indication of a possible pathway for pathogens and fecal contamination to enter a drinking water system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA says total coliforms are a group of closely related bacteria that are usually not harmful to humans, but can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea and vomiting.

In addition to the positive total coliform bacteria tests, a sample of water tested positive for fecal coliform bacteria late last month. City officials have said they believe that positive test was the result of a sampling error.


ic23b
13 hours ago


The already treated water from Detroit went threw the same pipes and didn't have these problems. Also the day they canceled the boil water alert for the west side they had opened all the fire hydrants on the west side of Dort Hwy from Lapeer Rd to Atherton Rd, was that to help flush the West side or are there problems we are not told about.


If I understand it correctly when the KWA starts up they will be piping raw lake water to the Flint water treatment plant to be "cleaned" and then distributed throughout Flint and Genesee County. Will the treatment plant be able to handle that amount of water?
Post Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:35 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

"In the meantime, city water plant workers have had a crash course in learning how to treat river water, bumping up their use of lime, for example, in an effort to cut down on water hardness."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flint and Howard Croft obviously did not adequately prepare for this transition.

EM SUBMSSION NO.: EME 4812014
ADOPTED: 8/30/2014
BY THE EMERGENCY MANAGER:
Resolution Authorizing Approval of Transfer of Funds from Water Fund Balance to Capital Improvement Fund for the Water Plant Operations
The City of Flint Utilities Department is desirous of proceeding with professional engineering and capital improvement services for the implementation of placing the Flint Water Plant into operation using the Flint River as a primary drinking water source for two years and then converting to the Karegondi Water Authority (KWA) delivered lake water and;
Post Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:37 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2014/10/gms_decision_to_stop_using_fli.html#incart_river



GM's decision to stop using Flint River water will cost Flint $400,000 per year

Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on October 14, 2014 at 12:00 PM, updated October 14, 2014 at 12:18 PM


FLINT, MI -- General Motors' decision to stop using Flint River water at its engine plant will cost the city an estimated $400,000 annually.

Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft told a City Council committee Monday, Oct. 13, that the city has agreed to allow GM to tap into a Flint Township water line because river water supplied by the city caused engine parts to rust.

"There was an agreement made already. This was a request from GM to the city," said Croft, who estimated the loss of revenue at $400,000 per year.

Although the city's permission to leave the Flint water system was required, some members of the City Council said they were left in the dark about the GM situation by emergency manager Darnell Earley and Mayor Dayne Walling.

Earley's office had not released details of the GM agreement or announced it as of Tuesday, and Walling told council members he had known about the deal for "just a couple of days."

"If we are (being asked) to act in good faith, let's have some good faith from the emergency manager," said 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays.

Under the Flint-GM agreement, the plant will return as a Flint water customer after the city switches back to using Lake Huron water from the Karegnondi Water Authority once its pipeline is completed -- something that's expected to happen by the close of 2016.

Seventh Ward Councilwoman Monica Galloway said the decision by GM to stop using river water will cause more questions about its quality and safety from skeptical residents.

The city has struggled to maintain residual chlorine levels throughout the water system since it began using the Flint River rather than pre-treated Lake Huron water from the city of Detroit.

There were also three boil water advisories in a 22-day span this summer after positive tests for total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria.

"I hope this doesn't set a precedent for people to jump off (the Flint system) because of the quality of the water," Galloway said.

"(But) this is just another thing that says to me (that) we are like guinea pigs," she said. "It's like a research project ... that we would normally do on rats."

A district engineer for the state Department of Environmental Quality said Monday that Flint's system is producing safe water and that chloride levels are considered acceptable -- not excellent, which GM requires.

The city's use of ferric chloride, which works as a coagulant to help remove suspended and dissolved solids and contaminants, has likely caused elevated chloride levels, DEQ has said.

GM spokesman Tom Wickham said Tuesday, Oct. 14, that engine crankshafts showed rust after they were machined with river water this summer.

Wickham said the rusted parts never left Flint Engine Operations and said the automaker has been subjecting Flint River water to additional treatment to reduce chloride levels as well as hauling in water from Detroit for use in the plant since that time.

GM and Flint Township officials said Monday that the company last week reached a temporary agreement to buy Lake Huron water from Flint Township for the West Bristol Road engine plant.

Wickham said GM has said GM had been coping with the water issue at Flint Engine by further treating the water it receives from Flint and supplementing it with non-river water.

He said employees at the engine plant discovered rust on the crankshafts initially, causing GM to investigate the possible cause further.
Post Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:22 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

We have to buy bottled water for our pets. The dogs vomit after drinking Flint water.
Post Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:14 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/12/11/3600250/major-water-disasters-2014/

What Americans Learned this ear rom not beng able to drink their water

Kelly Kroh December 11, 2014
CREDIT: Foo Conner/@iwasaround

On January 9, more than 300,000 West Virginia residents were shocked to learn that seemingly overnight their water was declared undrinkable, unusable even, save for flushing the toilet. In the ensuing weeks and months they would discover that a chemical mixture used to clean coal, crude MCHM, had leaked from a neglected storage tank on the banks of the Elk River, just upstream from a major water intake facility.





Despite its proximity to the drinking water supply, very little is known about crude MCHM and its potential impact on humans and the environment. Mixed messages regarding the safety of the water perpetuated the sense of fear among residents, a feeling that lingers nearly a year later, according to Evan Hansen, principal at the Morgantown-based environmental consulting firm Downstream Strategies.

I think there are still people in the area that are not drinking the water.

“I think there are still people in the area that are not drinking the water,” Hansen said. “It is still a concern for some people.”

Half a year and millions of dollars later, another water disaster struck: A toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie contaminated the water for nearly 500,000 residents. Throughout the year, millions of Californians have continued to grapple with the new water-stressed reality accompanying the state’s historic, ongoing drought — one that has forced regulators to not only restrict water use but to scramble to prevent communities from running out of water.

The water disasters of 2014 both exposed additional threats to the nation’s water supply and have left significant unanswered questions about whether anything will be done to prevent these incidents, prolonged or acute, from happening again.

In the wake of the Freedom Industries spill, many within and outside the state were highly critical of West Virginia’s historically lax regulation of the fossil fuel and chemical industries. The state legislature took a positive step toward changing that in March, unanimously passing S.B. 373, the Aboveground Storage Tank Act. The bill seeks to tighten the regulations on chemical storage and bolster sourcewater protection in the state but as Hansen explained, the most important provisions — the actual regulations — are just being written now and proponents foresee a huge fight looming.



“Some of the industries that are most affected by the Aboveground Storage Tank Act, specifically gas and coal, are gearing up to try to change the act so that it doesn’t impact them,” Hansen said. “And if that’s done, that would be a major change in the bill because so many of the above-ground storage tanks are used by those two industries.”

Since the passage of the bill, the state legislature underwent historic changes, with the House of Delegates flipping from Democratic to Republican control for the first time in more than 80 years. But Hansen said he doesn’t see the fight for protection against chemical contamination as a partisan one; it’s basically about whose interests the legislators have in mind. “It would seem to me that even if the new Republican majority has some objections to parts of the bill that a winning political strategy wouldn’t be to make wholesale changes to that bill as soon as you gain the majority, [saying] ‘we’re basically going to dismantle clean water protections as one of our first acts,'” Hansen said.

In the races for federal office in the state, the chemical disaster was a forgotten, or deliberately ignored, topic. Rather than using the platform to push for substantive changes, candidates from both parties instead chose to focus their zeal on President Obama’s “war on coal” and denounce the “callous” EPA.

The outcome of S.B. 373 and the lasting impact of West Virginia’s response to the chemical disaster extends beyond the state’s borders, Hansen explained, particularly considering “most states still don’t have regulations on above-ground storage tanks.”

Toledo residents were met with a similar shock in August, when they were told the tap water in their homes had become contaminated. The culprit this time was microcystin, a toxin that leached from a massive algae bloom at the source of the region’s water supply and which is poisonous if ingested. As was the case in West Virginia, Toledo officials were left scrambling to address the source of the contamination and give residents consistent information about the safety of their water.

While the situation in Ohio was resolved far quicker than West Virginia, the lack of transparency regarding specific tests conducted and the concentration of harmful substances in the water was similarly exasperating for those affected.


“It’s really frustrating,” 30-year-old Perrysburg resident Julia Halm told ThinkProgress shortly before the ban was officially lifted. “I want to trust what they say, but at the same time, I need to know a little more.”

Toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie are not a new phenomenon, but they are worsened by both increased runoff from agricultural and industrial activity and by climate change, as ThinkProgress’ Emily Atkin explained at the time. Despite numerous warnings over the past several years regarding the risk of worsening algae blooms, serious measures to reduce the phosphorous flowing into the lake never materialized — a fact that fueled residents’ frustrations in the wake of this summer’s water crisis.

While state and local officials received significant criticism after the incident, Toledo Mayor Michael Collins told a U.S. Senate panel earlier this month that the federal government needed to do more to help address the failing health of Lake Erie and prevent future algae blooms. “If you did it in the Chesapeake Bay, why can’t you do it in Lake Erie?” Collins said of the executive order that established a plan for cleaning up the long-polluted bay.

Like West Virginia, Toledo is just one of several places in the U.S. where toxic algae blooms threaten water supplies and recreational areas and where the science regarding the human health impact lags far behind. Most water plants use the World Health Organization’s benchmark for the amount of microcystin that can ‘safely’ be detected in water, but as the Toledo Blade reported, “the science behind the WHO’s guideline is more than 16 years old, applies to only one of 80 known forms of microcystin toxin, and has been considered subject to change since it was developed in 1998.”

Responders shouldn’t be improvising when public health is at stake.

The conflicting information from officials regarding the safety of the water was a key takeaway from the response to both disasters, according to Andrew Whelton, assistant professor of environmental and ecological engineering at Purdue University. “They taught us that we should not any longer make decisions on the fly; there needs to be a scientifically-grounded approach to how you respond to these incidents,” he said. “Responders shouldn’t be improvising when public health is at stake.”

Another part of the problem in West Virginia and Toledo was the fact that both systems relied on a single water source, Whelton explained. “That taught us there needs to be some type of resiliency built in to these systems,” he said. “You need multiple sources [and] interconnections with nearby water systems so you can rely on a neighbor to assist you when possible.”

In California, the severity of the state’s water woes has forced regulators to be proactive in identifying the communities at risk of running out of water and to look for potential emergency interconnections. The prolonged, multi-year drought was a central story throughout 2014, as aquifers plummeted to record lows, historic water restrictions were imposed, and the ripple effects of the water crisis were felt throughout multiple sectors.

The drought has brought many of California’s shortsighted water use practices to the surface — such as the fact that the consumption of water from underground aquifers has been totally unregulated, something the state legislature moved to remedy this year.


The threat to drinking water has become so acute that municipalities large and small are looking for alternatives with a growing sense of urgency. Last month, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously to approve a $2.5 billion plan to turn sewage water into drinking water.

Projects like wastewater recycling and desalination will likely cost California billions of dollars in the coming years as the communities continue to look for ways to provide residents and businesses with the water they need to survive. In November, Proposition 1 passed easily, authorizing $7.5 billion “for water quality, supply, treatment, and storage projects.”

According to many of the nation’s top climate scientists, warmer temperatures and the drought bear the fingerprints of climate change, meaning states like California will have to learn to cope with such events now and in the future.

Several other parts of the U.S. and the world face the same prolonged prolonged threat to their water supply. A satellite-based analysis conducted by NOAA and released in October found that “the groundwater at some of the world’s largest aquifers — in the U.S. High Plains, California’s Central Valley, China, India, and elsewhere — is being pumped out ‘at far greater rates than it can be naturally replenished.'”

Looking ahead, “the risk of chemical spills to drinking water is increasing,” Whelton said, judging by the sheer number of chemical storage tanks — he’s already identified more than 10,000 in Indiana — along with other threats, like the rise in crude oil pipelines, or contaminants that are formed in nature and exacerbated by industrial activity. However, he doesn’t see these challenges as insurmountable. “We can be better prepared to respond,” Whelton said. “Otherwise, every time there’s an incident you’re going to have a knee-jerk response. In the interest of public health, that’s a terrible strategy.”
Post Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:14 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

In conversations with local politicians, it appears the water issues in Flint may worsen again when the weather warms up.

And we get another 6% raise next year on water rates for bad water!
Post Sun Dec 14, 2014 6:16 pm 
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