I have a really simple and really cheap solution to the problem of arsenic in the Sunrise Estates water system. This solution could also be applied to any other Douglas County water systems with elevated levels of arsenic or other contaminates.
When a water district detects arsenic in excess of the safe 10 parts per billion in the water they are selling, they should send a registered letter to all of their customers warning them of the danger of drinking that water. They should also advise them of the various measures they could take to insure that they do not drink unsafe water.
These measures would include.
• Buying bottled drinking water.
• Installing their own under the sink filtration system
• Buying a water distiller.
• Hauling drinking water in jugs from a safe water source to their homes.
• Putting in their own well and water system.
• Pay a ridiculous water bill each month to pay for a treatment system to treat all the water (even irrigation water) provided by the district.
• They should also be informed that bathing in the district's water is perfectly safe. The only danger is if they drink it.
I have read that the county is planning on building a $4.5 million water tank and pipeline that would be part of a system to supply safe water to the 38 customers of the Sunrise Estates water district. This is an astounding $120,263 per customer. I suspect that it will cost even more than that when it is all said and done.
Why not let each water user in the Sunrise District decide how they want to handle their own arsenic problem? How about letting each water user be responsible for their own lives? Why force the folks in the East Valley Water District and the county taxpayers at large, to pay to provide arsenic free water to the people in the Sunrise District? I believe that each Sunrise resident is smart enough to figure out a cheap and easy alternative to the big plan that the county has in mind for us all.
I understand that there are many empty lots in the Sunrise district that would someday be served by this new water system. I'm sure the owners of those lots would also be able to figure out a way of providing safe water for themselves.
Of course my suggestion will never be used. It seems that government only can solve a problem using the most complicated and expensive method possible. And of course government can never allow individual citizens to be responsible for their own lives and welfare.
One last note. I recently visited a community in Florida that had all the homes supplied with two water meters. One for potable water and one for other uses. Why treat all the water, even water used for irrigating lawns and flushing toilets? When home building starts up again it would really show some foresight if developers were required to install a water system like this.
John Hunter is a Gardnerville resident.
