Protect our water while we have it

Protect our water while we have it

Jeanne Starmack’s May 15 arti- cle reported that “3,000-gallon capacity trucks will fill up with water from Aqua’s Hamilton Lake, take it to sites in Ohio, where gas companies drill for natural gas.” The mayor of Struthers, Terry Stocker, said, “the lease agreement is for $6,000 a year, and the city is getting $3.25 per truck. At an average of 100 vehicles a day, that’s $1,625 per week, $6,500 a month, or $78,000 a year, plus the lease, that’s $84,000 a year.” Stocker based those figures on a five-day week and added, “We’re hoping it becomes a 24-7 operation.”

It is clear that this deal was not thought through properly.

Each gas well needs 1,000 truckloads of fresh water and then the poisoned fluid must be removed.

How much water will really be removed?

The company claims excess capacity for our region. If there is a drought, will the gas companies lose access before people’s supplies are cut?

“Excess” water from this and other similar lakes feed Ohio rivers — that water will be lost to communities downriver

Drilling companies get a massive discount at $1.25 per 1,000 gallons. Consumers pay $5.75 for 1,000 gallons, most of which goes back into the potable water system after treatment. The water in this deal is gone — not reusable

Damage to the roads, increased noise and air pollution will not be compensated.

Here are suggestions for covering the costs of this business:

Charge a toll (say $500 per truck per month) to pay directly for infrastructure repairs.

Charge double the consumer price for water.

Limit the term of the lease to 1 year and examine the results

The use of Route 616 to 680 is straight through residential neighborhoods — an unacceptable accident risk.

Ohio’s water belongs to the people of Ohio not to Aqua; they only clean and deliver it.

Our water is our most valuable national life resource, and we are giving it to the wealthy at a low, low price. Why?

Alexander Lamb, Poland