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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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For years the media has been calling water the new Gold!
water has been the subject of many lengthy legal battles and safe drinking water is a concern nationwide.
Last Wednesday during the Council committee meetings there was a special order on the proposed second water pipeline from lake Huron. When other council became aware that Neeley was not a supporter of the new pipeline they arranged a 2 hour meeting between Neeley and Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jefff Wright. Neeley asked Wright a number of Questions at the meeting because he wanted the answers on the record for the citizens. There are many residents who are understandably concerned about the rising water bills.
Detroit was always supposed to provide Flint with a secondary water source in case something went wrong with the one pipeline Flint has for water. That is one reason Flint was ordered to pay for the water plant upgrades so that the Flint River could be used in times of emergencies. The residents were served by the Flint River for 2 days when the 72 inch pipeline was under repairs. One concern is that the exiting pipeline is nearing the end of its expected 50 year life span.
A new 30 year contract with Detroit would cost Flint an anticipated minimal increase in the cost of water of 6% a year. In the past detroit has been billing approximately 12.7% annually. Wright showed a presentation demonstrating dramatic reductions in costs once the second pipeline is paid off. Wright predicts customer rates and payments would cover the cost of the pipeline. There will be no new taxes to pay for water.
Flint owns both Kearsley dam and the Holloway reservoir, but both have been widely used as recreational areas. Wright stated there is a possibilty of challenges if Flint decided to use one or both of these water containment systems. Legal challenges occurred last summer when a community in Nevada used a reservoir set up for emergency water. The reservoir there was also used for fishing and other recreational purposes
The Flint River water is not as pure as the Huron Lake water and it contains more particulates and agricultural run offs, which cost more to remove in the water treatment process. Wright stated this is the reason flint initially looked to Lake Huron for water.
Flints Water Plant, despite the upgrades, cannot meet the needs for both Flint and Genesee County. Genesee County will build their own water treatment facilities.
Wright discussed the need of reasonably priced water for the establishment of new commercial and industrial development. This is a major criteria considered by any business proposing to move here. He noted how the new "green technologies" are extremely water intensive. Wright also discussed how Birch Run was forced to shut down devlopment for ten years because they could not obtain the necessary water for their proposed developments.
The construction will take approximtely 3 and 1/2 years and require the services of nearly 1,000 workers. An authority will be formed by Flint, Genesee county, Lapeer and Sanilac County and the authority will own the pipeline. Wright has suggested the contracts for construction can contain lanquage requiring that employees hired be Michigan residents and/or local residents. he noted that Detroit requires contractors to hire 55% of their workforce from Detroit.
If you have Comcast, the meeting will be shown Sunday starting at noon"
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Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:55 pm |
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FlintBeerMan
F L I N T O I D
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NEELEY FOR MAYOR 2011!
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Flint is a place where people live cause they can't afford any place else to live. |
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Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:00 pm |
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back again
F L I N T O I D
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i consider wright a well informed and possibly the smartest water guy flint has ever had. a progressive forward thinking gentleman. i trust him.  |
_________________
even a small act of goodness may be a tiny raft of salvation across the treacherous gulf of sin, but one who drinks the wine of selfishness, and dances on the little boat of meaness, sinks in the ocean of ignorance.
P.Y. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2010 11:58 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The water pipeline has taken some odd twists over time.
In the 2000 Drain Commission election Wright campaigned with a huge sewer pipe on a flatbed calling the pipeline "Harden's Pipe Dream".
Flash forward 10 years and Harden now thinks the cost is too high and Wright is pushing the pipeline. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2010 12:02 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| How many people remember that the existing pipeline was started by Flint? IIRC, they got to Imlay City, then sold/gave it to Detroit. |
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I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2010 1:48 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| True- Then Prosecutor Robert Leonard prosecuted some land developers who had been given advance knowledge of the pipelines route and had bought up property, intending on making a "killing" when they sold it for the pipeline. The hassle of the indictments changed the course of history. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2010 6:52 pm |
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