A note for Newly Elected Mayors, city council and Water Board Members
- Congrats on the new job!
- Whats next? You have heard it all your life information is power. So what information do you need to be really great at your job?
- Is a public water system now your responsibility? Depending on other people to keep it safe and meetings state and federal regulations is something all officials are forced to do. You must depend on others, you can't do everything. But you can check to see if your managers are competent. You are actually responsible to make sure they are doing it right. So what is it you need to be asking? First thing first, are there documented problems? Ask to see the water systems violation history. Water utility personnel are trained on how to use disinfectants like chlorine and ammonia. When they have bacteria violations the knee jerk response is to increase or change disinfection chemicals. Many never think about inspecting or cleaning the storage tanks. The USEPA has established that sediment that builds up on the floors of tanks over time can become a habitat for bacteria, protazoa and even viruses. You should ask if the tanks have been inspected in the past year. Did they have sediment on the floor of the tank? The answers may surprise you. The EPA has no requirements for inspection or cleaning of water storage tanks. Despite the fact that water utility academics agree storage tank inspection and cleaning are necessary to insure public health few states has specific regulations. The CDC list Giardia, Legionella, Norovirus, Shigella, Campylobacter, Copper, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Cryptosporidium and E. coli, excess fluoride as the top ten causes of outbreaks in the United States.
- What can you do? There is a economical way to ensure your water system is not headed for a contamination outbreak and media nightmare. If you would like to see what is actually in your water system give us a call. For a very low inspection cost our underwater inspections can help you make decisions that can keep your water system safe (and out of the news). Call today for a free quote, 817-377-4899 ask for Ron. For more information check out our blog www.tankdiver.us.