This water situation here in Westernport has reached the disgusting stage. When you can fill a bathroom basin with your tap water and cannot see the chrome stopper in the bottom, you have a problem. This has been an ongoing problem and it sure looks as if we have at least 45-60 days to continue with this dilemma.
When, at a Westernport Council Meeting last week, Commissioner Davis stated that we have to accept this water as it is, I guess he was implying that the water was a gift from someone. I don't think so.
So we just accept it, put sugar in it and call it cocoa, maybe that will make it taste better.
Wait a minute before you try this.
There is a fax dated January 12, 2007 in the city building files. If they cant find it I have one. It’s from Mr. Stan Brua, Hydraulic Engineer, Baltimore District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Section. This directive clearly states that when the reservoir is below curve, releases should be restricted to domestic use only, and then Savage River should be empty from the steel bridge to the confluence with the Potomac River, a very short distance.
Curve shows the reservoir empty. Are the higher powers going against this directive in order to keep the state fishing industry happy, and this is causing the dirt to get in a $6 million transmission line? I cannot argue with Mr. Brua, as I am not an engineer, but something is not right.
Two towns get their water from Savage River, Piedmon and Bloomington, and their water is fine. Why can't a temporary line be placed near the Bloomington line, as they are barely 10 feet apart at the steel bridge, and set a temporary pump there?
I also have pictures of the pumps that were installed years ago just for a problem like this. But my pictures show the neglect and disarray these two pumps are in and what ever else "they" want to call it. Is it the cost or no one wants to accept responsibility? But then there is enough responsibility to go around.
Someone really goofed!
Many families are forced to use this water because of financial reasons and yet they pay a $17 surcharge plus $20/4,000 gal of water. And we can't use it!
This is a far-reaching problem, when the gates are rebuilt and everyone leaves the scene, Westernport is left with a problem, a dirty water system. Who is left with this expensive and time-consuming problem? The town of Westernport!
There are three reservoirs that need cleaning and sanitizing as well as about 20 miles of transmission lines and service lines. It is not going to be enough to put a notice in the newspaper to say the water is safe and meets someone's standards; our town has and will have problems for a long time to come unless this is handled in a proper manner.
Westernport, someone is thumbing their noses at us. Do you think it is the governor of our state?
Tom Smith
Westernport
Keyser, W.Va. —
