Arsenic

middie meddler
Are you stating that you have seen testing results of above normal levels of arsenic in the soil or water at our wellfield?
I thought we got a clean bill of health several years ago after the clean up of the wellfield with the State Super Fund money.

The clocks been running for months now.  I'll try something less taxing for you.  I'll give you the answer to this next one and you give me the question.

Thanks for your insider information Matt.  Like you, I was also forced out of city employment because I discovered too much about major waste and questionable administration of taxpayer's funds.  I had to go to protect senior staff who were in charge before my arrival in January 2007.  Matt, brace yourself for baseless insults and slurs to deflect the real issues at hand.  People like VietVet, Vivian Moon, WhistlersMom, What A City, etc., etc., are people that you can trust.

I was following that Orman bldg thread then.  It was very hard to not join in at that time.  You, Ms Moon, have no idea how close you came to the truth of it.

Richard Saunders wrote: Douglas Adkins wrote: I'll respond to this but it will take a few days. Our time right now is being spent preparing for Judge Wall's services. That has to be my priority for the next few days. Really?  Like you and the rest of City Hall has to "prepare for Judge Wall's services"?  His dear wife Linda and his children and siblings have to do that, not you! Sure, some of his staff may be deeply moved, but WTF "preparing" do you or "our time" is necessary? Just trying to decide who can take extra time off?

Analytical wrote: swohio75, don't throw rocks at my stained glass windows.

I did, in fact, deliver one of the eulogies for Judge Wall today. I told you all before that if we kept to the issues, I'd keep responding back and forth. If this is going to get personal and if this is going to be nothing but disgruntled ex-employees trying to cause the city as much trouble as possible, then my time is better spent in other areas.

Below is the information on the arsenic levels.

Middletown’s drinking water comes from 13 groundwater wells. When tested last summer (2016) one of Middletown’s groundwater production wells had Arsenic levels above OEPA drinking water standards and was shut down as soon as possible. Keep in mind this is raw water coming out of the ground before any of the treatment process takes place. The well was a very low volume producing well and is in the process of being abandoned and replaced with a new well.

Arsenic is a common, naturally occurring element in the earth’s crust. The main source of arsenic in ground water is natural weathering and erosion of rocks and minerals. Arsenic is common in Ohio soil and therefore may be present in Ohio ground water. (See article below.)   The water treatment process Middletown uses to treat our groundwater (lime softening using solids contact upflow clarifiers) is effective in removing Arsenic if it is found in the raw ground water.

If Arsenic (or any other contaminant) is detected in Middletown’s drinking water, it must be reported in the annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) required by Ohio EPA. Arsenic has not been detected in our drinking water (what comes out of the treatment plant) for as many years as the CCR has been required. In addition, no other Water Treatment Plant historical records indicate detections of Arsenic in Middletown’s drinking water. Our most recent test, as required by Ohio EPA, for Arsenic in the drinking water was on 1/26/17. There was no detectable amount in the sample.

The City of Middletown regularly monitors our water supply for many contaminants and our drinking water consistently meets or exceeds all established water quality standards set by the Ohio EPA and US EPA.

https://www.soils.org/discover-soils/story/ohios-high-soil-arsenic-levels-due-natural-processes

Mr. Adkins:

"I did, in fact, deliver one of the eulogies for Judge Wall today. I told you all before that if we kept to the issues, I'd keep responding back and forth. If this is going to get personal and if this is going to be nothing but disgruntled ex-employees trying to cause the city as much trouble as possible, then my time is better spent in other areas."

Ok, fair enough Mr. Adkins. I am probably one of the biggest perpetrators on the subject of aggression toward some city staff and leaders on this forum but there is a reason for that as they have helped destroy my hometown, one that I care more for than they do as outsiders. I acknowledge I have my share of faults like everyone else and advertise those faults on many occasions if provoked or the city does something "really stupid".

I'm going off topic here.......but I just have to mention this realizing the timing is wrong.

(and now comes my tirade on the use of the word "disgruntled" by a manager in the workplace...........) I will apologize in advance for what is about to be written here....

I would imagine, without trying to speak for the participants you have labeled as "disgruntled", (God, how I love that word coming from an employer and the managers who represent that employer). This word is a pet peeve of mine and has been for over four decades in the work place. Some companies do everything they can from labeling to playing favorites to ostracizing to exclusion to outright targeting of the employee which, of course makes the employee feel unwanted and non-valued as well as scared as hell that they may not have a job tomorrow. THEN....THEN, those same managers who play the game of sabotage have the audacity at performance appraisal time to blindside the employee with no notification at all, and are told that they are on the cliff's edge as to keeping their job. The managers set the unwanted employee up for failure and to be targeted if they have the slightest differing of an opinion. If you play ball no matter how wrong the program may be, you keep your job. No dissention allowed even if presented in a diplomatic way. What ever happened to the phrase, "a fair chance" and the verbal warning followed by the written warning followed by termination routine?

Ok.....that's it. Tirade over. Thank you for letting me vent about my pet peeve.

Now, to the subject matter. Your explanation of the arsenic issue seems valid and well explained to me, but then again, I'm no chemist either.    

Let's look at both sides...
      The city's view with its escape clauses:
 " .....II told you all before that if we kept to the issues, I'd keep responding back and forth. If this is going to get personal and if this is going to be nothing but disgruntled ex-employees trying to cause the city as much trouble as possible, then my time is better spent in other areas."  Doug Adkins

       Paraphrasing Doug Adkins we have the citizens view with its escape clauses:
"     I told you all before (City bureaucrats) that if we kept to the issues, I'd keep responding back and forth. If this is going to get personal and if this is going to be nothing but disgruntled council and management employees trying to cause citizens as much trouble as possible, then my time is better spent in other areas."  
                   Middletown citizens have the right to know what and why their city government does the things they do. Its called government of the people, by the people and for the people.

         This kind of talk is only a setup for when things get hot and they want to take their football and run.

         Paul Nagy

In addition Mr. Manager, I'm sure that your staff informed you that you are using split treatment at your water plant.  I will presume to explain to you that this means 20-50% of the raw water entering the plant is not treated with lime.  And of course even if you did abandon split treatment, you would have to demonstrate the effectiveness of your plant in removing arsenic and do enhanced testing to ensure water quality.