Everyone should have a say in sewer debate

SEELEY LAKE - The sewer debate is about justice and fairness. Here are a couple of parameters.

We all perform the same daily bodily functions, whether we’re registered to vote, own property or not. Fairness suggests we ALL have a say in this sewer debate, because even though a majority of the citizens don’t vote or own property they will pay for this new proposed sewer. Business people, the principal landowners, will certainly pass the increased sewer costs through to their customers and take a tax deduction for the expense. So, as it stands now, only a minority, the property owners in the district, have a say.

The Sewer Board proposes to concentrate ALL the sewer wastes in the district. That is about three million gallons a MONTH at peak capacity. This will be pumped up to the airport, treated and then the “treated” water will be injected into the aquifer.

That water will contain 15 percent of all the nitrates created by the district users (since the plant will remove only 85 percent of them), all their medical wastes and all difficult-to-remove chemicals associated with cleaning compounds. And not ONE of the airport residents near this treatment plant gets a say in the matter.

They take their drinking water from wells which will surely be contaminated in time. The Sewer Board and Health Department have made NO mention of indemnifying those airport residents against the damage this project will cause to their aquifer. They haven’t even made a thorough study of the groundwater conditions up there.

Fairness and justice are out the window with this Health Department and Sewer Board. Corruption, self-service and greed seem to be the driving forces in this debate.