The Kyle Report

The Kyle Report

Monday, March 14, 2016

Is it safe to drink the water?

There are two places on tomorrow night’s agenda where legitimately someone from the City could step to the podium and directly answer the above question, which, of course, needs a direct "yes" or "no" answer. The first place would be during the Citizens Comments item which allows for anyone to speak on a subject that is not on the agenda. The second is during the City Managers (sic) Report, but that comes so late on what appears to be a long night for the City Council, most people may not be awake to hear it. After tomorrow night, however, I hope all upcoming agendas contain a standing item "Update on City’s Water Quality" until such time as the TCEQ says our water is OK.

A portion, but definitely not all, of Kyle residents received a notice this week in their water bill that began "The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the City of Kyle, Texas, that the drinking water being supplied to its customers has exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes." The notice goes on to say what trihalomethanes are and how they are formed, but then the third paragraph of the notice reads: "Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess over the MCL for many years may experience problems with their liver, kidney or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer."

WHAT???? Can we have a little more specificity here. Who exactly are these "some people" you’re referring to here? How many is "many years"? What kind of "liver, kidney or central nervous system" problems may "some people" experience? And what exactly is the "risk" of "getting cancer" from Kyle’s water supply. And, most important, are the answers to these questions supported by medical evidence?

Now, after all that, the very next paragraph says very reassuringly "You do not need to use an alternative water supply." But that paragraph also contains a qualifier: "However, if you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you." Which, to me, translates into "It’s perfectly OK to drink the water, but you do so at your own risk."

Am I really worried about all this? Frankly, not that much. In fact, later this evening I plan to make myself a Manhattan that will be chilled from ice directly from my ice maker. I plan to swallow my medicine tonight, tomorrow morning and all the nights and mornings after with water from the tap, albeit water filtered through one of those Brita water filter gadgets. But I have been using those filters for years now. Even my dog gets that chilled filtered water. I make my morning coffee with it. Have been doing so for years and don’t plan to quit now. Does Brita filter out trihalomethanes? I don’t know, but, to be honest, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

I guess what really bothers me about all this is the last paragraph of the City’s notice which begins "Please share this information with all the people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (i.e., people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses)." What this tells me is not only is the City admitting it isn’t notifying all its citizens about this potential problem, but it doesn’t even intend to make any effort of any kind to do so. It is hoping a few homeowners will fan out to all the people living in apartments, all those confined to nursing homes, all the school administrators and everyone who works in Kyle. Fat chance.

It’s also interesting that no mention was made of the Seton Medical Complex in any of this. Why is that? Shouldn’t the nurses and physicians attending to patients in those facilities be aware of these potential problems?

Just saying. Now it’s time for that Manhattan.

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