Clean Watershed Campaign

Dredging and drinking water quality

Recently EPA notified the public that no dioxins or furans were found in the drinking water extracted from the Saginaw Bay. This is really, really good news. If you’ve been following the issue you know that Kathy Henry was derided by Jim Koski of Saginaw County and Rick Hayes of Tittabawassee Twp for being a mere housewife for being concerned about the quality of the Saginaw water supply.

Koski, took it one more boorish step and derided EPA for listening to this individual housewife. Kathy, concerned about the suspension of contaminated sediments from the Saginaw River dredge project asked EPA to take a look. I would submit the housewife is more informed and much more enlightened then Mr. Koski. Below is EPA Region 2 establishing drinking water lines to various communities due to possible re-suspension of PCB’s during dredging.

EPA Region 2 Press Release:

September, 5 2008 – To ensure that contingencies are in place to protect drinking water supplies during Hudson River dredging, EPA today issued orders to the town of Halfmoon, New York and the Water Commissioners of the town of Waterford to gain access needed to construct a water line that will carry drinking water from Troy to Halfmoon and to the town of Waterford, New York. When constructed, the new water line will provide the towns with an alternate water source that would be available in the unlikely event that dredging causes violations of the health-based drinking water standard in the river.

EPA website with Region 2 Press Release! (local cached copy)