Laserfiche WebLink
Councilmember Oliver Davis asked if those reports could also be linked onto the South Bend <br />website. <br />Ms. Fliss responded yes a link could be placed on the City's website. <br />Councilmember Davis asked about how the City can be so sure that the water is safe in the <br />LaSalle Park neighborhood and is not impacted by any potential contamination given the fact <br />there are elevated levels of lead and arsenic in the area. With the troubles Flint Michigan has <br />been having, water safety is a big concern these days and to make a strong statement that the <br />water is not impacted by any contamination is a big claim. He asked what proof the City can <br />provide to back those claims up. <br />Rick Brown, the City's consultant as designated by the EPA, responded to the question. The City <br />is required to test the water for a whole myriad of issues every month. Those records would be <br />with the Water Works Department and are reported to the state. If the state finds that any <br />contaminant exceeds an acceptable drinking water standard, they are required to post that <br />information so the public knows. Once water is blended and delivered out to the consumer there <br />are no indications that the water has been affected. The City could not be legally allowed to <br />distribute that water if problems were found. There is no indication that any City well field has <br />water that could be coming from LaSalle Park. Regardless if it would be coming from that area <br />or not there is no indication of contamination. When the City releases water out into the <br />distribution system, it is safe. Beyond that point, there are no areas where the water is tested. <br />Councilmember Davis asked given the nature of the site has there been any reason to test the <br />water out in the neighborhood at the faucet level. <br />Mr. Brown stated the first thing we need to do is determine what the quality of the ground water <br />is in the park and that has not been done in the past. Something has to be able to move through <br />the soil and get into the drinking water system and then past the City's purifying processes to be <br />able to get into the pipes. The City takes every precaution required to ensure that the water <br />released into the distribution system. At this point there is no reason to suspect any danger to the <br />water but of course it is a reasonable question and concern to ask. <br />Councilmember Davis asked if there is any way a brochure could be developed by the <br />Administration to give to residents to show them why their water is safe. People need to have <br />something tangible they can be shown. <br />Mr. Brown stated Public Works could put that together. <br />Dr. Keith Fusinski, an EPA Risk Assessor, responded also regarding the water questions. He <br />stated lead and other metals tend to bind to the soils and they do not tend to get into the water <br />pipes. Anything that is in the park is going to stay in the park. The EPA has an acceptable risk <br />range. That range is from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000,000. We really want it closer to 1 in 1,00,000 <br />but 1 in 10,000 is acceptable. People have a 1 (one) in three (3) chance of getting cancer just <br />from being alive today because of everything that we are exposed to today. When we say <br />