Wednesday, February 13, 2002
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Wednesday, February 13, 2002 |
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County skips participation on panel, catches heat By DAVE HAMRICK
Residents and officials who spoke to The Citizen both on and off the record following Friday's hearing on Atlanta Airport's recent deicing spill were satisfied with the answers they heard from the airport and state officials. But they weren't happy that Fayette County and its water system didn't participate in the informational session, and they still have questions they feel haven't been answered. "I am happy with the way that the meeting progressed," said one resident in an e-mail to The Citizen. "My remaining concerns are with Fayette County's role in this." State Rep. Kathy Cox called the meeting, she said, with the main objective of examining the state's role in the matter. But residents expressed concern both with the county's lack of participation in Friday's meeting and with their perception that the county water system was slow to respond when the spill became apparent. On the second point, Bert Langley of the state Environmental Protection Division offered some defense of the county. "Water systems have all kinds of odor and taste problems," he said in answer to a resident's question during the hearing. "There are a lot of things you do before assuming there is" a major problem with the water. "In retrospect, we'd have all done this quicker," he said. Water system director Tony Parrott has said his department alerted the EPD and asked for testing of the water as soon as it became clear there was a problem. According to the system's phone logs, the first call about a "maple syrup smell" to the water came in Sunday, Jan. 13, ten days after unknown quantities of deicing fluid spilled into the Flint River, a major source of county water. Twenty calls came in Monday, Jan. 14, including one from Patty Culjak of Breckin Drive. Standard procedure for such complaints, Parrott said, is to flush fire hydrants in the area, which was done, he said. Culjak has been the most adamant in her complaints about the county's response, and said she "begged" water officials to have the water tested. The next day, 22 more calls came in to the water system, and Culjak visited the County Administrative Complex but was unable to see County Administrator Chris Cofty, who was in a meeting. According to county records, Cofty sent word that he would look into the matter immediately, and phoned Parrott soon after to get information on the problem. That afternoon, Parrott spoke with Culjak and then phoned the state Drinking Water Program, and officials there agreed late that afternoon to have a state laboratory conduct special testing. The state officials also advised the county to begin feeding activated carbon into its system, advice that was followed immediately. Also, the county shut down its South Fayette Water Treatment Plant, which draws water from the Flint River, at 6 p.m. that day. County Administrator Cofty said the county has done all that could be done. "We were not notified [of the spill] by the airport or EPD," he said. "When we were first notified by residents' complaints we have been above board and taken steps above and beyond what the state requires," he said. Staff will recommend that the county buy some additional testing equipment, Cofty said, to get an earlier warning in the future if there's any problem with the water. Since the first samples were taken Jan. 16, 29 samples have been taken and tested, he said, and the county also has been regularly testing the raw water going into the plant. State officials declare flatly that the water is safe. But earlier testing might have shown a higher concentration of deicing chemicals in the water, residents insist, adding that it would have given them more information to help assess the health risk to themselves and their children. State Rep. Cox said she believes the lack of communication between state and airport officials and mistakes made at that level were the main reason there wasn't earlier testing. "I called the meeting to make sure the state agencies are doing what they are supposed to do for my constituents," she said. And both state and airport officials admitted, "we blew it," during the meeting Friday (see related story). Cox said she invited county officials to attend and participate in the panel, extending the invitation Tuesday, three days before the meeting. But County Commissioner A.G. VanLandingham said he did not understand that he was asked to participate on the panel, thinking he had been asked merely to attend the meeting. "I didn't know that I was on the agenda, and I didn't participate because I wasn't prepared for that," he said following the meeting. Parrott said no one ever contacted his office and, when he found out about the meeting, he was obligated for the evening. Cox said she left messages for county commissioners asking that they come to the meeting, but may not have specifically said that they should participate. She followed up later in the week and asked who would be present and was told that VanLandingham would. "I said, 'How about somebody from the water system,' and they said no one would be coming from the water system," Cox said. "So I said it would be good if someone could be there who could answer questions, and they said Mr. VanLandingham would have all the information he would need." The county was under no obligation to participate, Cox said, but "I said it would be good if they could be there to tell people that the water is safe," she said. She added she didn't think it would have been appropriate for her to phone the water system and speak to county employees. "I always first go through the elected officials," she said.
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