Date: Fri 08-Dec-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

edink-Apple-Blossom-Lane

Full Text:

Getting Answers, Finally

It's been about two years since contaminated water was first found in wells in

the Apple Blossom Lane area, and finally this week local health officials

hosted a public information meeting for affected residents. After several

months of frustration in getting adequate answers to their understandable

concerns, residents now have a better idea of the extent of the problem and

the intentions of state and local health and environmental officials to come

up with a solution that restores safe, potable water to their taps.

Since the problem was first identified in 1993, both the state Department of

Environmental Protection and local officials have been diligent in their

efforts to find the source of the contamination and to determine the extent of

its effect on the Apple Blossom Lane area. More than 120 wells have been

tested, and residents with hazardous levels of the offending chemical,

tetrachloroethylene (PCE), have been provided with bottled water and

filtration systems. These stop-gap measures have been appreciated by the

residents, but all along they have made it clear that what they want most is

to be kept abreast of developments that may affect their health and safety and

assurances that there will be a long-term solution that will not erode their

health or the value of their properties. Until now, the state and local

officials have been less than diligent in this regard.

On Tuesday night, the residents almost got what they wanted. Both the state

DEP and the local Health District are now committed to keeping the lines of

communication open to the residents in the area. They would not go so far as

to promise that all affected homes would be hooked up to town water, which is

the only solution most of the residents are willing to consider. (The state

will only maintain and monitor filters for five years.) This appears to be the

only remedy that will not exact further penalties on families whose drinking

water has been ruined through no fault of their own. It should be the goal of

all parties concerned.

There is still a lot of work to be done before this problem is solved, but an

important first step has been taken: the people with the questions and the

people charged with having the answers are finally talking face to face. The

dialogue should have started at least a year ago. But now that it has started,

however belatedly, it should not stop until the Apple Blossom Lane

neighborhood once again has a stable supply of clean, safe water.