|
|
|
 |
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
|
|
Posted on 01/23/2003 5:09:55 AM PST by Happy2BMe
TAMPA - Two weekends ago, someone broke into a Volusia County water treatment plant. No one can say who or why or even exactly when the intrusion took place.
But whoever it was had access to more than 500,000 gallons of purified drinking water, and that was enough to persuade state officials to pull the plug on 15,000 water customers.
The water has been tested and given a clean bill of health. But the fact that Volusia water managers waited more than 30 hours to report the break-in has prompted the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to issue an emergency order to step up notification efforts.
``We're asking for a two- hour turnaround on any kind of security breach or suspicious incident,'' DEP spokeswoman Deena Wells said. ``We think that's sufficient time to notify the State Warning Point.''
State regulators began asking municipal water suppliers to alert the emergency coordination center of suspected sabotage immediately after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
``Since that time we've had about six incidents across the state where we felt we hadn't been notified promptly enough to respond appropriately,'' Wells said.
Barely a month after the attacks, Collier County residents were told to boil their water after a door to a pump house was found open and a water tank hatch unlocked.
In April, an unsecured access panel triggered an alert at a small water plant in Seminole County. No official water quality advisories were issued in that case.
The water companies blamed careless workers in both of those incidents. Vandalism has been suspected in others.
None has involved Tampa area water supplies, nor has water tested in the incidents been contaminated, Wells said. ``We don't want to wait until that happens.''
Tampa hasn't seen a case of vandalism at its water facilities in 15 years, said city water production manager Mike Bennett.
Under the emergency rule, which goes into effect Jan. 31, a water supplier can face stiff fines and other penalties for failing to make a timely report. The sanctions will be applied on a case-by-case basis, depending on the seriousness of the incident, she said.
In Volusia, someone got through a chain-link fence, climbed atop a water tank and kicked in a screen without triggering security alarms.
Some 36 hours passed before water managers issued a boil-water advisory. State regulators subsequently cautioned some 15,000 water customers to avoid drinking, cooking, bathing or showering with tap water.
Bottled water was distributed for two days, until laboratory tests came back negative for contaminants.
Volusia officials have said they delayed reporting the incident because they did not believe the intruders had access to the water supply and did not consider it a security breach.
Wells said the emergency order likely will clarify what needs to be reported.
According to the new rules, ``all security breaches or suspicious incidents involving public water systems must be treated as possible threats to public health.''
Fifteen years is quite a time span. And now all of a sudden - right before we smear Saddam across the gates of Baghadad.
Coincidence?
|
|
|
|
|
FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.