Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Deadly Waters
I’ve spent the morning trying to understand the chronology of Flint water crisis. From what I can tell, this seems to be an accurate and up-to-date account. But I’m sure some of you are following this more closely than I’ve been, so please tell me if any part of it is incorrect.
It seems to me that unless the ACLU actually forged that March 7, 2014, e-mail from Darnell Earley to the Detroit Water and Sewer Company, which I highly doubt, they’re correct: The claim that Detroit cut off Flint’s water supply is a lie. And obviously so.
The impression suggested by this entire story is one of profound, systemic incompetence. The Snyder Administration appears to have been derelict; the Flint City Council and Mayor Walling appear to have been derelict; the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality was useless, and so was the EPA.
But the idea that this could never happen to wealthy white people is nonsense. In fact, poisoned water stories are apt to become more and more common, because our drinking-water systems are now very old. According to the American Water Works Association,
A new kind of challenge is emerging in the United States, one that for many years was largely buried in our national consciousness. Now it can be buried no longer. Much of our drinking water infrastructure, the more than one million miles of pipes beneath our streets, is nearing the end of its useful life and approaching the age at which it needs to be replaced. Moreover, our shifting population brings significant growth to some areas of the country, requiring larger pipe networks to provide water service. As documented in this report, restoring existing water systems as they reach the end of their useful lives and expanding them to serve a growing population will cost at least $1 trillion over the next 25 years, if we are to maintain current levels of water service. Delaying the investment can result in degrading water service, increasing water service disruptions, and increasing expenditures for emergency repairs. Ultimately we will have to face the need to “catch up” with past deferred investments, and the more we delay the harder the job will be when the day of reckoning comes. …
Given its age, it comes as no surprise that a large proportion of US water infrastructure is approaching, or has already reached, the end of its useful life. The need to rebuild these pipe networks must come on top of other water investment needs, such as the need to replace water treatment plants and storage tanks, and investments needed to comply with standards for drinking water quality. They also come on top of wastewater and stormwater investment needs which — judging from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) most recent “gap analysis” — are likely to be as large as drinking water needs over the coming decades.
It’s just a fact: our water infrastructure wasn’t built to last forever.
Given this astonishing, bipartisan example of appalling incompetence in water management — and given that it’s primary season — I’d like to hear the candidates’ views about whether governments should hold monopolies on water provision.
If they think not, I’d like to hear their views about this question: Is water a natural monopoly?
What do you think?
Published in Domestic Policy, Economics
Clair said:
“But the idea that this could never happen to wealthy white people is nonsense. In fact, poisoned water stories are apt to become more and more common, because our drinking-water systems are now very old. According to the American Water Works Association . . .”
The local talk show host on KGO kept saying this would never happen to rich white people. So? What point is he trying to make? I’m supposed to feel guilty (as a white non-poor person) or what? Nonetheless, I think he was correct on this point, and Claire is in error. My reasoning is that rich white people don’t elect people who drive the municipality into bankruptcy, they don’t lose control of the government, and they have options other than relying on government. If the water changes and looks /smells /tastes different they would have it tested themselves and alert the neighbors . . .etc. What did Flint people do besides demand something from an incompetent government? Flint people seem not so good at this government stuff, or even citizenship for that matter.
All true, but the key word is “rich,” not “white.” Poor white people are just as apt to do all of those things — although black people are more likely to be poor, so I suppose it’s not ridiculous to make that association. But I see no reason to believe the problem in Flint went neglected because of racism; it looks to me like it went neglected because of incompetence. I’ve seen no evidence yet to suggest otherwise, have you?
That said, Flint is only one example of the way that water provision can go awry, and I expect there will be many more such stories as our existing water infrastructure nears the end of its natural lifespan. So we’ll be confronting questions about how best to manage this in many places. That’s why I thought it would be interesting to discuss the question of the best way to finance this.
$19-21 trillion dollar national and $18 billion dollar city debts tend to do that.
I find the subject of this post to be less than um… urgent.
For decades, our cities and utilities have been saying “well, when it ain’t raining the roof don’t leak, and when it’s raining you can’t fix it nohow.”
Much of the infrastructure is a ticking time bomb. That’s no figure of speech, google “PG&E pipeline explosion.”
Those are situations that were less than urgent until they explosively became emergent.
Watermain breaks usually aren’t quite as dramatic as gas pipeline incidents, but they can still be very disruptive. Closed/damaged roads, flooded basements, supply outages, and boil orders. Searching Google News for “water main break” turns up tonnes of local news stories about buried infrastructure that is literally falling apart. Here’s one from today: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/laurel/ph-ll-water-main-break-0128-20160126-story.html
I would say “no ****” but in addition to violating the CoC it would be inapt in other ways. When sewer laterals and sewers leak into the graveled trenches occupied by leaky water mains, “no ****” in the water would be a consummation devoutly to be wished. As you said, boil orders.
Crushing debt, over regulation, and an unfriendly business environment equals no budget for the costs of infrastructure repair.
Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?
Just wanted to get to the heart of the matter.
That’s too close to what the ruling class is trying to tell us, and doesn’t
That’s a little too close to the leftwing line for comfort. They, too, would have us believe the problem is a lack of money.
Ret & ET & all,
Here’s a question that I’d like to ask. What justification is there for paying huge salaries and benefits to public employee union protected/enhanced jobs in a municipality that is economically bankrupt and sinking deeper and deeper. U.S. Steel Plants became non-competitive because Unions wouldn’t budge or compromise. I’m talking about nothing more than a 3 year 10% roll back in incredibly inflated wage/overtime/benefits. The result of the no compromise Union behavior was the destruction of the industry and the Union that was parasite upon it.
It is Public Employee Unions completely out of control that are at the root of these problems. They suck the development money out of municipalities so that they become basket cases. They get in the way of anyone who tries economic reform. They are so used to lying and manipulating the truth to get their own greedy way that lying about a real public health risk is no problem. Taking even a 5% roll back in their total package until the municipality can get on its feet and deliver basic services safely isn’t even in the cards.
Public Employee Unions can even eat their own. Detriot’s Union was happy to see Flint get its water bill jacked up so the Detroit Union could keep the gravy train rolling. The Flint Union figured out a quick fix of using the Flint River to make sure its gravy train wasn’t derailed.
This gives shortsightedness a whole new dimension. Stupidity Uber Alles.
Regards,
Jim
There’s always been plenty of money for the unimportant and/or the graft.