Drinking Water
Dear Editor: Sitka’s drinking water supply suffers from chronically high levels of turbidity as noted here: https://www.ktoo.org/2018/12/10/sitka-officials-make-the-case-for-a-secondary-water-source/.
The turbidity in Blue Lake water is caused by bottom-sediments being roiled by wave action during periods of heavy rain, and from silt washed in by feeder streams. Sitka’s drinking water is delivered to your home unfiltered. Every gallon piped to your home contains some degree of sediment suspended in the water, since it is delivered in an unfiltered condition. The higher the measured turbidity level of our drinking water, the more sediment our drinking water contains. The problem of recurring high turbidity levels in our drinking water is causing a threat to Sitka’s USEPA waiver to sections of the Clean Water Act. This waiver has exempted Sitka from having to operate a drinking water filter plant for many years.
In 1990 the USEPA issued a Report on Dioxin at the APC mill site, which showed that there were high levels of dioxin in the bottom-sediments of Blue Lake. High levels of the most dangerous form of dioxin (2,3,7,8,TCDD) were found. These levels exceeded the maximum for human consumption and use allowed by law. The Internet link for the report is: https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPDF.cgi/9100YT3E.PDF?Dockey=9100YT3E.PDF.
Dioxin is a proven, long-lasting carcinogen and mutagen, which was used as the primary component in Agent Orange, during the Vietnam War. Dioxin is one of the most toxic and pernicious compounds known to mankind.
The USEPA waiver was granted because of the utilization of loopholes in the analytical regulations, procedures and methods used to test Blue Lake water, as well as out-dated and inappropriate testing protocols used at the time of testing. See: https://www.kcaw.org/2011/06/28/water-rate-deliberations-turn-to-dioxin-testing/.
A link to newer, more effective high-volume water testing methods is here: https://acwi.gov/monitoring/conference/98proceedings/Papers/25-DINK.html.
If the results of the sediment tests outlined in the above report are correct, the Blue Lake sediment that will be removed from our drinking water, through the operation of Sitka’s newly-proposed $18 million, part-time water filter plant, will necessarily be required to be treated and handled as a hazardous waste under USEPA laws and regulations.
The only truly legal and ethical pathway for Sitka, going forward, is to forgo it’s past waiver scheme, and build a full-size drinking water filter plant that will be operated full-time, while treating the removed sediment in an appropriate manner. It is my view that every gallon of unfiltered water delivered to Sitka’s homes is a disservice to the public, and represents a continuing threat to the health of the community.
The possible legal liabilities to the city (as well as individual past and present Assembly members) and ethical issues surrounding the sale of raw, bulk water containing the sediments mentioned above, will be addressed at another time, in another letter.
If anyone wishes to discuss this issue, to know more, or wants email access to the links above please email me at: zerocutster@gmail.com.
Florian Sever, Sitka
KCAW Member Drive
Dear Editor: As many of you know, Raven Radio had our Spring Membership Drive in early April. We had a very audacious goal of $100,000, and we ended the drive at about $76,000 raised. This was my first on-air drive in Sitka, and it felt really amazing to work with you all that week to raise funds for the station.
But we weren’t quite done. The KCAW staff, board of directors, and CoastAlaska business office set to working with you all to make up the difference. I’m grateful to be able to tell you now that we’ve made it – we broke our $100,000 goal.
To all our members, our business partners, our nonprofit cohort, our community of volunteers, our staff, our visionary match sponsors: ‘‘thank you’’ doesn’t nearly seem like enough of a sentiment. Every day we broadcast fills me with joy and optimism; we are serving our mission effectively, and you acknowledge that with your support. I’m inspired by you. And the overwhelming amount of appreciation I have for you defies words.
So an enthusiastic ‘‘thank you’’ must suffice! Also, a reminder: if you requested a gift of a mug, tote, beanie (or is it a toque? I kid!), or magnet, please come by the station if you haven’t already to collect it.
Yours in gratitude and broadcasting.
Becky Meiers, General Manager,
KCAW Raven Radio
