Avast ye, mateys! The EPA be called upon to lend a hand to Alabama's water system cursed by filth and leaks.
2023-10-11
Arr, mateys! The scallywags of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been summoned to wield their emergency powers, in order to sort out the mishaps plaguing the Prichard Water Works and Sewer Board in Alabama. Avast, let us hope they can fix the mess!
Environmental groups, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, have requested intervention from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding a water system in south Alabama. The system, known as the Prichard Water Works and Sewer Board, has been plagued with leaks, contamination, and financial mismanagement. The situation in this low-income community has raised concerns for the safety and affordability of drinking water.The petition filed by the We Matter Eight Mile Community Association, along with other environmental justice and faith-based groups, urges the EPA to exercise its emergency powers to address the problems. It highlighted that over 60% of Prichard's drinking water is leaking, posing a risk of contamination. State regulators have also noted inadequate disinfection in certain areas of the system, further endangering residents.
Prichard, with a population of 19,000, consists primarily of Black residents with a median income of $32,900. The situation has led to frustration among the community, with Carletta Davis, president of the We Matter Eight Mile Community Association, expressing disappointment in those responsible for ensuring clean and affordable water.
The petition seeks assistance from the EPA to fund upgrades to the water system, participate in receivership proceedings, and develop and enforce a long-term consent decree for infrastructure improvement.
The Prichard Water Works and Sewer Board has faced financial difficulties, with Synovus Bank reporting the system's default on a $55 million bond issue. The lender has requested that the water system be placed in receivership, a request that the system opposes. The water system argues that operations manager Mac Underwood has made significant progress in addressing concerns since being hired earlier in the year, and they have requested his appointment as a receiver if necessary.
In summary, environmental organizations are urging the EPA to intervene in the troubled Prichard water system, which has been plagued by leaks, contamination, and financial mismanagement. The low-income community's residents are at risk, and the petition calls for funding upgrades, receivership proceedings, and a long-term consent decree to address the infrastructure issues. The Prichard Water Works and Sewer Board is in default on a bond, and the water system opposes being placed in receivership.