Wednesday, November 21, 2001
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Wednesday, November 21, 2001 |
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Water Committee eyes security measures By DAVE
HAMRICK
Security experts are looking at Fayette County's water system to make sure the county's water supply is as safe from sabotage as possible. "They'll look at the camera package to monitor the plants internally and externally and look into things like guards, lighting, et cetera, and get the whole thing together," said Jim Mallett, the county's engineering consultant. Mallett said the firm of Brewer and Scala, the same company that is consulting on security for the new Fayette County Jail, under construction in Fayetteville, will conduct the study. The study is in response to concerns raised by the county Water Committee last month. One item under consideration, erecting a 10-foot fence around the new South Fayette Water Plant, will be postponed while the consultants look at the all the security concerns at once, Mallett said. Committee members had questioned whether the fence, costing an estimated $110,000, is truly needed, since muc of the plant property is surrounded by swamp. Also, officials said, pollution of the water supply by attacking the raw water going into the plant would be fruitless, because the treatment process would take care of that. "I don't see anybody carrying a 55-gallon drum back through the woods and dropping it in our lagoon," said committee Chairman Chuck Watkins. And the supply of finished water at the plant is underground and inaccessible, said system director Tony Parrott. Mallett said the consultants will "get a price in case that's what the board [of commissioners] wants to do."
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