Posted on 05/16/2002 8:38:42 AM PDT by survivalforum.com
Residents Warned Not To Use It For Drinking Or Bathing - Water May Be Contaminated
BY JEANNE MILES, Staff Writer
Thursday May 16, 2002
LYNDON VT - Lyndonville firefighters and members of the Lyndon Rescue squad went door to door last night warning people not to drink their water.
Scott Townsend, operator of the Lyndonville water system, said Wednesday afternoon the water may be a potential risk to health because the system had been tampered with.
"This is serious," Townsend said. "It is nothing to fool around with."
The fire department and rescue squad finished alerting people around 8 p.m., but were called back around 9:30 p.m. to make the rounds again.
According to Lt. George Hacking of the state police, it was not clear the first time that the water should be used only for flushing toilets.
Areas affected by the situation are:
• The Vail Hill area, including Speedwell Estates, and all roads off Vail Hill on the municipal system.
• Lyndon State College and residences on McGoff Hill on the municipal system.
• South Wheelock Road from Cherry Lane west to the end of the municipal line up to, and including, Johnson Trucking.
Townsend believes the vandalism happened sometime Wednesday morning. He said he had been at the site at 4 a.m. checking on a power outage and everything was fine at that time. When he returned to the site later in the day he discovered the lock on the hatch to the reservoir had been chiseled off and the hatch was open.
Townsend said he checks the reservoirs routinely every couple of days. He has worked on the water system for 11 years and this is the first time he has encountered anything like this.
At 6 p.m. last night Townsend was notified by the state that people needed to be told directly because some may not have heard the warning on radio or television.
According to Townsend, the public water system supplies about 200 homes besides LSC.
Firefighters and rescue workers mustered at the Lyndonville Fire Station at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Sgt. Fred Cornell of the St. Johnsbury state police barracks told the group to make contact with as many people as possible. Notices were to be left when no one was found home.
"We want to make sure everyone is notified," Cornell said.
The state of Vermont is the lead agent in this type of situation, said Cornell.
Only the reservoir serving Vail Hill, the college and South Wheelock Road was vandalized. The warning does not extend to the rest of the town or village. People living on Depot Street or Finney Hill can drink their water, Townsend said. He urges everyone to pay attention and listen to and read the notices carefully.
People are warned not to use the water for drinking, bathing, brushing teeth, making ice cubes, or for washing fruits or vegetables. Boiling the water may not be adequate because it is unknown what may have been put in the water. Water from some other source must be used, Townsend stressed.
Townsend said the state will be running tests today to see what, if anything, was put in the water system. The "do not drink" notice will be in effect until the water is determined safe to drink. It may take six to seven days to get the test results back.
Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to call the state police immediately at 748-3111.
Town and village officials are arranging for drinking water for all those who have been affected by the vandalism. A water supply was scheduled to arrive today at the Fenton Chester Ice Arena in Lyndon Center, where it will be stationed. Town officials are also developing a plan for temporary bathing facilities.
Anyone with questions may call Townsend at 626-5468 during the day, and at 626-8130 in the evening, although he asks that people be considerate and not call too late. Questions may also be directed to the Department of Environmental Conservation Water Supply Division at 800-823-6500 or 802-241-3400.
More on WATER RELATED issues
In Lyndonville, in mid-May?
They likely would have had to chip through the ice....
Why is Vermont putting lead in the water, now?
No terrorism involved.
(Lyndon, VA-AP May 27, 2002 1:00 PM) _ Three Lyndon State College students from Connecticut have been charged in connection with vandalism that closed the public water supply in Lyndon Vermont.Eighteen-year-old Matthew Grunwald of Old Saybrook, 21-year-old Jimmy Rae Thayer of Killingly, and 19-year-old Gregory Vehlies of Glastonbury are among five students facing charges for the incident at the reservoir.
All five confessed last weekend to breaking open the cover on the reservoir, which supplies water to the college and about 200 homes.
Police say the students told them they didn't put anything in the water. The students said they broke into the reservoir around April 22nd.
The break-in wasn't discovered until May 15th.
The face charges of unlawful mischief. College officials say they will also face disciplinary action.
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