The Fleecing of Henry County

"The Fleecing of Henry County"

It is that time of year again that we all received our notices from the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority that they will be raising our rates by 2% in November.  Now just think about that for a moment.  We already are paying 2 mills on our property taxes to the Water Authority.  That is double taxation and triple when you add the sales tax.  There are people in the county who cannot afford to keep having to dole out more money to these people who are raping the innocent people of the county.  And most of the money is to pay those high salaries for those who work there.  The director of the department makes twice as much as the Governor of Georgia.   And what do you get for the money, some water that you can barely drink because the taste is so bad.  All the chemicals and other things dumped in the water taste bad.  Just look at your toilet at the things settled in it that you drink when you turn on the tap.  If we are going to pay through the nose for water we should be getting much better than we are getting.  But you can rely on every year the price will increase whether they need it or not.  And the people are the ones who pay dearly.

The Staff

Henry County's Unhealthy Water Report A Must Read for Your Safety

The following report about Henry County water can be deceiving.  "EWG's drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the EPA (January to March 2017), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards."  Then the report turns right around and says that there are 8  contaminants found above the guidelines for human consumption.  These are:

Bromodichloromethane can cause cancer.  Bromodichloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Bromodichloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. 

Chloroform is a cancer causing agent.  Chloroform, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Chloroform and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.

Chromium (hexavalent) can cause cancer.  Chromium (hexavalent) is a carcinogen that commonly contaminates American drinking water. Chromium (hexavalent) in drinking water may be due to industrial pollution or natural occurrences in mineral deposits and groundwater. 

Dibromochloromethane is a cancer causing agent.  Dibromochloromethane, one of the total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Dibromochloromethane and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. 

Dichloroacetic acid can cause cancer.  Dichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. 

Radiological contaminants which are radioactive can cause cancer.  This utility detected Radium, combined (-226 & -228) & Radium-228.

Radiological contaminants leach into water from certain minerals and from mining. Drinking water contamination with radioactive substances increases the risk of cancer and may harm fetal development.

Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) are cancer causing.  Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. The total trihalomethanes group includes four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform.

Trichloroacetic acid is a cancer causing agent.  Trichloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy. 

Here is also a list of 8 other contaminants the report lists.

Chlorate--Chlorate forms in drinking water as a byproduct of disinfection. Chlorate impairs thyroid function, making chlorate exposure most harmful during pregnancy and childhood.

Chromium (total)--Chromium is a naturally occurring metal, but industrial uses can elevate its levels in water. One form, hexavalent chromium, causes cancer. Total chromium is not a good indicator of the amount of hexavalent chromium in drinking water.

Fluoride--Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems.

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)--Haloacetic acids are formed when disinfectants such as chlorine are added to tap water. The group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards includes monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid and dibromoacetic acid.

Monochloroacetic acid--Monochloroacetic acid, one of the group of five haloacetic acids regulated by federal standards, is formed when chlorine or other disinfectants are used to treat drinking water. Haloacetic acids and other disinfection byproducts increase the risk of cancer and may cause problems during pregnancy.

Nitrate and nitrite--Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. 

Strontium--Strontium is a metal that accumulates in the bones. Radioactive strontium-90 can cause bone cancer and leukemia, and any form of strontium at high doses can harm bone health.

Vanadium--Vanadium is a metal used in steels and other alloys. People are commonly exposed to vanadium in water and food. Excessive exposure can be toxic during pregnancy and childhood.

With all these chemicals and heavy metals plus radiologicals found in the water it makes you wonder what will this do to a person over a period of time.  Here is an example.  There is a street in the Stockbridge area that over the last 40 years has had a high incidence of cancer.  25 people have developed cancer and so far 22 have died from it there.  Fifteen people developed heart disease and 10 of those have died.  Six people had developed thyroid problems.  And five have developed dementia.  And this is in one small section of the area with 33 homes.  People don't need to be ingesting these types of things into their bodies.  Many times the water smells like garlic or has a musty odor.  Strange that this group that did the testing gave the HCWSA a clean bill of health yet they do a double standard by listing the contaminants found knowing the dangers of them.   Maybe some payola was done who knows, but one thing is for sure it would be wise to buy your water or get a very intensive and costly water purification system for your home.  It might save your life.

The Staff of the Community News Blog.

Unsafe Dams in Georgia and Henry County

Unsafe Dams in Georgia and Henry County
This is not a big secret in the government and planning areas of Henry County as the Georgia Safe Dams Dept and the Army Corps of Engineers has put together reports on Category II and Category I dams.  The Category one dams could pose a threat to life.  This problem was announced in the Henry Herald Newspaper in 2004.  Then, again in 2008 another article came out about these dams.  Then in 2013, it was announced that Henry County has 15 category 1 dams.  Four communities with these dams have approached the County for assistance with these repairs.  They are Lake Dow, Lake Dow North, Swan Lake and Lake Cindy.  At that time $28, 470 was allocated to explore what needed to be done to fix the dams.  A consulting firm would be called in to study and present plans to the County.  In 2004, it was mentioned that it would take at least $1 million  to repair each dam.  The same was reported again in 2013.  Commissioner Preston said that he worries about the loss of money from taxes from Lake Dow if they lose the lakes.  He said it hurts District 2.  He should be worried about Lake Cindy which is in his area, but it has mobile homes around it and they don't bring in the money like those homes in District 3 where Lake Dow is located.  Commissioner Holmes made it known that he concurs with Preston in this matter.  He thinks it might be a step in the right direction for Swan Lake.  That's real intelligent of him. Now again another article from the Neighbor Newspaper of December 30, 2015 described the same problems.  And once again $28, 620 was allocated to do another study on the same dams by Schnabel Dam Engineering, Inc. of Alpharetta as of September 2015.  Then, again in January 2016 the County held a meeting to discuss TAD's for this project.  The question that begs to be answered is how many times is the county going to spend money on studies and do nothing? Some have asked does a dam have to fail and cost lives before action is taken? Where are the other 11 dams that are considered category 1 dams in the county and why aren't they being looked at for repairs as well?  An article in the Jacksonville, Florida newspaper from July 2013 notes that Georgia has 500 dams that are rated as a high hazard according to the Army Corps of Engineers.  This is something that needs to be discussed here in Georgia and we have to find out more from other states.

Our References are:
1. The Henry Herald Newspaper 2004, 2008, 2013, and 2016.
2. The Henry Neighbor Newspaper 2015.
3. The Henry County Update Newsletter 2013.
4. The Jacksonville, Fla. News 2013.

Staff of the Henry Community News

The South River In Poor Health

Mr. Britt sir thank you for your blog where we can send in our views without being turned away.  I have something serious to discuss being a mother of  three.
The South River that runs from Atlanta down through DeKalb, Rockdale, Henry, Newton and into Jackson Lake is a very polluted river.  The odor after the rain is like death in the air.  Atlanta releases sewerage into the river and other chemicals which flow down to us.  I would never allow my children to even go near the water for fear of bacterial disease.  My husband said he would never eat a fish from the river because he has seen some with sores on them.  I see people all the time in canoes and kayaks on the  river and they are literally taking their lives into their hands by going in the water.    I have read where Atlanta’s permit for releasing sewerage into the river was to be renewed this year and with possible extra releases.  We also heard that the EPD is dragging their feet in the matter.  I am sure they will get what they want.  Look at the Chattahoochee that flows into West Point Lake.  The river is polluted and so is the lake.  Rarely do
 people eat a fish for that lake.  But it is irresponsible for people to advertise to go and enjoy the river when they should know that it is highly polluted and dangerous.  I have heard that the river would take years to clean up even if Atlanta didn’t send anything into the river.  There are other factors like streams and creeks that lead into the river and they are heavily polluted as well.  One person we know who lives along the Snapfinger Creek in DeKalb County that flows into the South River had the water checked along his stretch.  It showed high amounts of bacteria and even high amounts of battery acid from a source up stream.  Please don’t go in the river and stay safe because your life is worth more than someone’s pipe dream.

Aleisha Conn Debray
Rockdale County, Ga.

The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following a link on this site.  Any article sent by citizens are their own property.

It's that time of year again

It's that time of year again.

I received a phone call from a friend in the Windsong Subdivision off Eagles Landing Parkway.
He was telling me that last night he heard a sound like a baby crying so he stepped out on his deck
only to see a panther in his back yard. He said he yelled at it and it ran in to the woods. I told him that he is in a good place to see
panthers this time of year. You have Rum Creek,Reeves Creek joining Little Cotton Indian Creek. The panthers travel along the creeks and water ways
this time of year going back North to their Summer homes. I looked today in my fresh tilled garden and I found tracks as I did last year 10 feet from
my back deck. They are looking for food so be very careful leaving dog and cat food out. If you see one get inside as soon as you can. If you must get out after dark take a flashlight
and have it turned on it will help deter them from coming after you.

Alfred
Blog owner.   

The Truth About Panthers In Henry County

Over the years it has been a known fact that animals migrate through Henry County to the south in the Fall and to the north in the Spring.  The panther is one of those animals. They are dark brown and some are tan in color.  They follow the water ways to the south.  Many of them will stray away from those paths in search of food.

Most of these animals are nocturnal and will be seen just after sunrise and just before sundown.  In 1977, a panther got upon my neighbors car in Stockbridge.  The sheriff’s deputy had to chase the panther from the car.  The only reason a person is allowed to shoot an animal such as this is if it is endangering your life, your child, or animals on your property.  These cats are endangered species.

Think about this: Panther Creek in Northern Henry County was named that for a reason.  Just as Panthersville was named for a panther in south DeKalb County.  At one time there were more of these large cats than today because of man and his growth in the area.

If you see one make sure to call and identify where it was seen.  Keep in mind that they usually will run from you just as you will from them. 

The Staff Henry County Community News Blog

Yearly 5% Rate Hike On Your Water Bill On It's Way

Something to remember for everyone who lives in Henry County and that is our water prices will be going up 5% in November.  Every year now for some time the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority has raised automatically our water rates by 5% each year.  Why do the rates have to continue at this rate?  For example: If you are paying currently $40 a month it will go up $2.  Now that doesn’t sound like a lot, but in time that is a good deal of money especially when there are about 50,000 residential customers in the county alone.  At this rate the HCWSA is getting a larger increase than those who are retired and disabled in the county.  The COLA is seriously lagging for those people and even for those who are still working.  Many of them have not had a raise in years.  And that includes many workers for the county and the hospital.  Yet that steady 5% increase is there for the HCWSA and no one challenges that increase.  Maybe the county should take another look at the policies of that department that has taken own its own governmental base.  Water is an essential part of life. If you don’t have water in your body you will die.  That is why the county should see that the people are not unjustly treated for the price of that water.  If you cannot afford it they turn your water off.  And then that will put a sentence of death upon the person they have cut off especially if they have lost a job and cannot afford it.  No part of government should have the right to decide who lives and dies because of the lack of water.  Keep that in mind the next time you go to the polls to vote.


Update We have learned that the Water Authority Board Suspended the 5% increase for this year.

The Staff at the Henry County Community News.