Federal agency cancels water delivery to Pa. town

[marmar]

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency abruptly changed its mind Saturday about delivering fresh water to residents of a northeastern Pennsylvania village where residential wells were found to be tainted by a natural gas drilling operation.

Only 24 hours after promising them water, EPA officials informed residents of Dimock that a tanker truck wouldn't be coming after all. The about-face left residents furious, confused and let down — and, once again, scrambling for water for bathing, washing dishes and flushing toilets.

Agency officials would not explain why they reneged on their promise, or say whether water would be delivered at some point.

"We are actively filling information gaps and determining next steps in Dimock. We have made no decision at this time to provide water," EPA spokeswoman Betsaida Alcantara said in an email to The Associated Press. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20120107/US.Gas.Drilling.Dimock/

[Fumesucker]

1. Let them drink Perrier..

[marmar]

2. ........

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. Damn freeloaders wanting water. n/t

[Justice wanted]

4. WTF!?!?!

This is unreal.

[DURHAM D]

5. Maybe they will make Chesapeake Energy deliver the water.

But the drivers will need to be protected.

[Warpy]

6. Well, they can flush the toilets with contaminated water

but putting a cigarette butt down there while they're still sitting on it might not be a very good idea.

Cooking and drinking water are the main problems. Some contaminants are volatile, meaning they're gone when dishes or laundry are dry. Some can't be absorbed through skin, which means that showering is OK while soaking in a tub is not.

I've had to live with a water service due to contamination of town wells by the military and it's one reason I was immune to the bottled water craze. When you have to do it, it sucks.

They need to know what kind of contamination they're dealing with in order to find out what they can and can't do. However, flushing the toilet is probably OK.