From Ireland to Portland, Oregon, the public must resist the rising creep and corporate coup of privatizing water: In an emotionally charged public meeting on November 18, 2014, Portland residents bombarded two of their city commissioners with questions about what they believe is a cronyism-driven plan to kill the elegant, gravity-fed, open water reservoir system that has reliably served their city safe, clean drinking water for more than 100 years. The plan to disconnect the five Mt. Tabor and Mt. Washington reservoirs and replace them with costly covered reservoirs was triggered by a 2006 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruling - called LT2 - mandating the protection of public water against a lethal parasite, Cryptosporidium. However, Crypto has never been detected in Portlands water system, and the pristine Bull Run Watershed is not considered at risk of contamination. In fact, Portlands unique reservoirs exemplify a wise-use resource plan, blending utility with natural preservation and public recreation. Built during the Progressive Era, according to the local group Friends of the Reservoirs, they were designed within the ethics of the City Beautiful movement, which brought about a period of American development that purposefully made public works beautiful as a means to raise living standards. truth-out.org/news/item/28390-deep-questions-arise-over-portland-s-corporate-water-takeover
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 07:49:09 +0000
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