Easton Suburban Water Authority has issued a BOIL WATER Advisory. Because there is a danger the water contains disease-carrying organisms, customers are being asked to boil water for at least one minute before using.
Are you a ESWA customer? If you are, chances are you already received a recorded call, or you may have noticed a few minnows in your drinking glass. They tickled as they went down my throat. The Express Times has more detail here.
19 comments:
Take heart. They tickle on the way out as well!
I can't wait.
Bernie, This is a serious example of the dangers of privatization.
The union representing city workers, AFSCME LOcal 447, waged a long but losing fight in Easton City Council to prevent the takeover of Easton's Water Department by Easton Suburban, a private company.
Sincerely, Someone who knows.
The union warned in hearing after hearing that water rates would increase (and they did, even though Easton Suburban testified that they wouldn't raise rates) and that service levels to the City of Easton would be harmed because Easton Suburban catered to their suburban water customers and suburban developers. See what happened?
The union was right and the pooh bahs were wrong again, but what does it matter now?
It is a disgrace that this sort of thing happens when it could have been prevented by letting Easton city workers do the job for the ratepayers of Easton.
Anon 1057am, I'm curious - how could union employees have prevented a filter from malfunctioning? And since you are so quick to blame, are you as quick when union workers are negligent, make a mistake or something happens under their watch?
Unless/until information comes out that the Authority and/or its workers were negligent, you just made one hell of a leap to judgment.
The Banker
union workers tightened the nut on the filter but then backed it off 1/4 turn, ensuring that the filter would eventually malfunction. I saw them do this.
the money lender
Anon 229, funny - I'm guessing the union guy won't see the humor though!
The Banker
And this is why the City of Bethlehem needs to take over the ESWA. No more drinking water from the Delaware River. The City has plenty of fresh mountain water and state of the art equipment and needs to sell the water. ESWA is plagued with these boil alerts, especially during floods!! I can not remember the last time I heard the City of Bethlehem water needing to be boiled. No wonder Saint Lukes wants Bethlehem water instead of Easton at their new hospital.
Missy the Union rep for AFSCME 447 did warn cost would rise, and service quality would drop.
Looks like that has been proven so.
If this could have been prevented with 447 workers on the job is very debatable.
More likely it would be from a management decision to cut cost corners. Since when the 447 member worked at the city plants, the city was NOT a for profit operation. ESWA is.
City residents also for a long time payed more than folks in Forks. When the infustructure expenses was the massive suburban build up in Forks.
ANON 4:03 the Bethlehem water is NOT from City limits. Go north, way north!
The union angle to this is utterly ridiculous - unless one contemplates retaliatory sabotage.
No worries for fellow travelers, though. Barry Obama will sonn card check their privatized asses at Suburban Water and a union will be easily coerced into existence without private ballot.
It's change we can believe in - or else.
For profit is just that. Profit above all else. Bashing Unions is easy since you need not prove anything. But the inherent greed in the for-profit system is a real problem.
That is why public necesities should not be in the for-profit world.
The Baker
Oh I forgot Baker, unions aren't greedy. Thanks for the correction.
The Banker
FLY EAGLES FLY! I know I'm OT but I don't care. FLY EAGLES FLY!
The Banker
That's an OT comment I'm happy to see.
Easton Suburban Water Advisory:
DON'T YOU EAT THAT YELLOW SNOW!
To bad the County under Stoffa let this happen. He is really screwing things up big time.
UPDATE: Water is safe to drink; Easton Suburban lifts boil water advisory
Monday January 05, 2009, 9:00 AM
Click On My Name
Thanks for the update, Glenn.
The ESWA is in the procces of a large upgrade at the rt 611 filtering plant. They are also installing new water meters to all users. Thats why the rates have gone up. And my water bill is still only 10 bucks a month.
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