Water Board Resolution Urges End to Brine-water Disposal
Clarksburg Exponent-Telegram
15 October 2009
By Billy Wolfe, Staff Writer
CLARKSBURG — Members of the Clarksburg Water Board want the city’s
controversial brine-water disposal program ended for good.
The three-member board voted unanimously Tuesday for a resolution that
calls for the program to be discontinued.
“Although the wastewater discharge is below the intake of the water
treatment plant and doesn’t impact Clarksburg’s drinking water, the
program is harmful to the West Fork River tributaries and could
potentially impact other communities served by this watershed,” the
resolution states.
Water Board President Gary Hamrick called for the resolution at the
last regular meeting, saying Clarksburg must be more aware of the
possible effects it is having downstream.
Neither water board members nor Water Board General Manager Dick Welch
were told of the program’s existence.
Welch first learned of the program by reading reports in The Exponent
Telegram, he has said.
For the program, about 40,000 gallons of diluted industrial byproduct
was being dumped into the West Fork daily at the city’s wastewater
treatment plant.
The program has been suspended for about two months while mandatory
testing is carried out.
Welch said he wrote the resolution, which also states “...water is our
most valuable natural resource. Nothing lives without water.”
Although it is unknown whether the byproduct has any effect on human
health, it is highly corrosive to machinery. Total dissolved solids in
the byproduct also can affect the taste and smell of water.
The state Department of Environmental Protection also has told
Clarksburg it discourages publicly operated treatment works from
handling the substance.
In other news, the water board also plans to pay for its employees to
be vaccinated against the H1N1 Virus, also known as Swine Flu.
Welch said water utilities are considered “first responders” under
federal law.
“On these grounds, public health officials charged with determining who
has priority access to vaccines (if they are available) should
understand the consequence of water systems losing a significant
portion of their staff,” Welch said.
Board members were not able to vote on the matter, because it was not
put on the agenda prior to the meeting. Instead, board members said
they will ratify the decision at their next regular meeting.
The shot will not be mandatory, Welch said. All employees will have the
right to refuse getting a vaccination.
Staff writer Billy Wolfe can be reached at (304) 626-1404 or by e-mail
at bwolfe@exponent-telegram.com