Former Sebring water official facing criminal charges in lead-in-water crisis

SEBRING

James Bates, former operator of the village of Sebring’s public water system, faces three criminal charges in connection with the village’s lead-in-drinking-water crisis.

In January, Sebring came under scrutiny after schools closed and a tap-water drinking advisory was issued after high lead levels were detected. The lead levels actually were detected in August 2015.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Craig Butler, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency director, said Wednesday that Bates has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of recklessly failing to provide timely notice of individual lead tap water results and one misdemeanor count of recklessly failing to provide timely systemwide public education.

“The state alleges that Bates failed to provide both types of notices within the required time frames, in violation of Ohio’s safe drinking water laws,” DeWine’s office said in a news release.

Read more about the matter in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.