A message from Paul Tweten as follow-up to the issue of City of Portland
Drinking Water.
-----Original Message-----
From: paul tweten [mailto:twetenphoto@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 2:54 PM
Subject: Drinking Water Agency: Letters/E-mails to Commissioner
Francesconi
Francesconi has stated that he is undecided on this issue and welcomes comments from citizens. Comments to City Hall at this time could be well worth the effort. The address is 1221 SW 4th, Portland, OR 97204.
A group meeting that I attended generated a letter which covers the following points:
1)Lack of Public Awareness: The Water Bureau has not mentioned this agency proposal in the last 17 months that they have been working on it in their mailings to people on their mailing list. There has been very little in the media; It's not Surprising that City Hall has received very few comments.
2) Structure: The agency which will be composed of 9-14 appointed representatives which will serve ''at the pleasure of their respective appointing bodies'' gives more say to large Bull Run users and less to the average citizen.
3) Willamette River Ban: This City of Portland ban on using this water as drinking water is not mentioned in the proposal. The substitution guidelines, as well as, what defines an ''emergency'' is too broad and doesn't specifically exclude the Willamette River.
4) Powell Butte Filtration Plant - a $202 million plant is being considered which will disrupt this area and is contested as even being needed by PURB and Citizens Interested in Bull Run. Regna Merritt of ONRC abstained.
5)Privatization: This is not mentioned nor is it banned; There are many larger entities that are pushing for this: the EPA; members of Congress (The Water Investment Act of 2002 (S.1961/HR.3930) which will give money to cities if they have ''considered'' it, the large water companies which were at a Mayors Conference sponsored by OMI(owned by CH2M Hill which is working on the proposal for Portland). It is entirely possible that if there is a demand and if it is properly studied, it will be rejected as an idea. OMI's record is detailed in Public Citizen's report:''The Big Greedy'' on page 4 which can be viewed on the web or ordered.
6) Enron/Azurix (its water company) also had a water company venture which contributed to its demise; Public Citizen has an excellent report about it. Oregonians who lost their retirement accounts will be very interested. We shouldn't have to go through another bad situation with our water system.
7) Water, which has always been a ''public trust'' is being turned into a commodity. This needs to be contested.
Comments to City Hall at this time could be well worth the effort. The address is 1221 SW 4th, Portland, OR 97204; Citizens have been successful in changing the minds of their city government which have also worked
on getting back their water and sewage systems. It would be easier to do it before it gets to this stage.
By Paul Tweten
Drinking Water.
-----Original Message-----
From: paul tweten [mailto:twetenphoto@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 2:54 PM
Subject: Drinking Water Agency: Letters/E-mails to Commissioner
Francesconi
Francesconi has stated that he is undecided on this issue and welcomes comments from citizens. Comments to City Hall at this time could be well worth the effort. The address is 1221 SW 4th, Portland, OR 97204.
A group meeting that I attended generated a letter which covers the following points:
1)Lack of Public Awareness: The Water Bureau has not mentioned this agency proposal in the last 17 months that they have been working on it in their mailings to people on their mailing list. There has been very little in the media; It's not Surprising that City Hall has received very few comments.
2) Structure: The agency which will be composed of 9-14 appointed representatives which will serve ''at the pleasure of their respective appointing bodies'' gives more say to large Bull Run users and less to the average citizen.
3) Willamette River Ban: This City of Portland ban on using this water as drinking water is not mentioned in the proposal. The substitution guidelines, as well as, what defines an ''emergency'' is too broad and doesn't specifically exclude the Willamette River.
4) Powell Butte Filtration Plant - a $202 million plant is being considered which will disrupt this area and is contested as even being needed by PURB and Citizens Interested in Bull Run. Regna Merritt of ONRC abstained.
5)Privatization: This is not mentioned nor is it banned; There are many larger entities that are pushing for this: the EPA; members of Congress (The Water Investment Act of 2002 (S.1961/HR.3930) which will give money to cities if they have ''considered'' it, the large water companies which were at a Mayors Conference sponsored by OMI(owned by CH2M Hill which is working on the proposal for Portland). It is entirely possible that if there is a demand and if it is properly studied, it will be rejected as an idea. OMI's record is detailed in Public Citizen's report:''The Big Greedy'' on page 4 which can be viewed on the web or ordered.
6) Enron/Azurix (its water company) also had a water company venture which contributed to its demise; Public Citizen has an excellent report about it. Oregonians who lost their retirement accounts will be very interested. We shouldn't have to go through another bad situation with our water system.
7) Water, which has always been a ''public trust'' is being turned into a commodity. This needs to be contested.
Comments to City Hall at this time could be well worth the effort. The address is 1221 SW 4th, Portland, OR 97204; Citizens have been successful in changing the minds of their city government which have also worked
on getting back their water and sewage systems. It would be easier to do it before it gets to this stage.
By Paul Tweten
