Tuesday, August 29, 2017

ALL CLEAR ON CANTON/PERRY WATER BY SEPTEMBER 8TH?




VIDEOS  
RE:  THE ROVER PIPELINE CONTAMINATED SPILL

Service Director William Bartos

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Water Superintendent Tyler Converse

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Ward 7 Council John Mariol

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Canton Law Director Joe Martuccio

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Canton Council President Allen Schulman
(also, Chair/Canton Water Commission)

Back in April when news broke that the Rover natural gas pipeline project being installed across parts of southern Stark County experienced a spill of drilling mud which contained diesel fuel, little did about 100 Perry Township families know that the spill would eventually impact their perception of the safety of their household water supply.

The spill threatened and still may be found to threaten the safety of Canton's nearby (within a few hundred yards) Sugarcreek wellfield (located in Bethlehem Township) which is the normal source of the water supplied to Perry.  Out of a sense of precaution, Canton water officials decided to reduce the pumping from Sugarcreek and to access the city's Northwest wellfield to supply some of Canton's users of its approximate 24 million gallon daily output to Cantonians and other Stark Countians.



According to area media reports, those 100 families (living in the vicinity of Central Catholic High School) woke up one morning to discover discolored (iron) and generally described users as being "nasty" water.

Nonetheless, the Northwest water IS SAFE WATER, so Canton Water Department told The Stark County Political Report at last night's regular Canton City Council meeting.

Notwithstanding the scare to the Perry users, it appears that there was never a safety issue with their drinking water.

While it is understandable that there was a sense of uneasiness with the Perry users, they and, indeed, all water users as informed/responsible citizens ought to advantage themselves in knowing about water.

An important lesson out of the Rover spill for all Stark Countians who receive water from municipal/private company supplies is to pay close attention and to be completely informed when incidents like the Rover spill hit the headlines even though it may appear that my water has nothing to do with Canton provided water.

According to Converse, Perry users could be back on Sugarcreek water by the end of next week.

Two sources to link up with:
An interesting observation on the latter link, to wit:
The only organism that doesn’t understand the importance of water is humans, especially in industrialized countries. Children in those societies turn on the water in a sink and never think about the trouble someone has gone for that "miracle" to occur.
There were a couple of "water" quality (in the monitoring sense of the phrase on last night's council's agenda last night) which prompted Superintendent Converse to provide amplification of and clarification of the status of Canton dealing with the Rover pipeline spill.


From the language of the foregoing resolutions passed by Canton City Council last night, it appears that the Rover spill matter could end up costing Canton water users better tens of thousands of dollars unless, of course, Canton government is successful in getting reimbursed by culpable parties for the spill.

In all, Converse spent some ten minutes updating council on the history, consequences and the path going forward on the Canton Water Department's dealing with the Rover Spill.

First, Canton service director William Bartos on the work of Linda Aller and team (Williams and Bennett) in monitoring/implementing Canton's Water Protection Plan in the wake of the Rover pipeline spill:



Second, Superintendent Converse explains/describes to council:
  • the drilling mud diesel fuel contaminated removal and testing process,
  • that early test results are back to Rover but that Canton has not seen those results,
  • that Linda Aller of Bennett and Williams is right on top of monitoring the remediation process,
  • that he understands that Canton's water is a high valuable city resource and accordingly is taking a high level approach to protecting it from the likes of a nearby spill to the Sugarcreek wellfield industrial spill, and 
  • reassures council that by Ohio law testing is to continue for three years,



Third, Ward 7 councilman (chairman of Canton Council's finance committee) asks:
  • Converse about Canton being made financially whole by Rover on account of expenses/damages sustained by Canton in protecting its most valuable resource, and
  • Law Director Joe Martuccio about the work of the Canton Water Commission to refine its Water Protection Plan and when that product will be ready to present to council,



Finally, Canton council president Allen Schulman who has long served as the chairman of the Canton Water Commission:
  • weighs-in on the refinement underway of Canton's water protection law, and
  • lauds Converse for his sterling work in working through the Rover pipeline spill problem

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