Some Cryptic Aspects of the Crypto Outbreak, Part 2: The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry

[Updated & edited, YouTube links added, 8/27/13]

Plans?  What plans?

At the August 13, 2013 Council meeting, Baker City Public Works Director Michelle Owen mentioned that "regaining public trust" was one of the thoughts guiding the city's plan to restore safe water service. You may recall that some of that public trust was lost back in November 2011, when the Baker City Council and city residents discovered that Cryptosporidium had first been found in the water supply over a year before, but somehow they were not informed of that fact. The plan to notify the Council of pathogens in our water didn't work out too well and the City has never completely explained what happened. Neither are we aware of any consequences for any city employees involved. Once lost, public trust can be hard to regain, but especially so when that trust is tested repeatedly.

                           Elk Creek Diversion

Last Friday's Baker City Herald article (Experts help determine cause of outbreak 8/23/13) seemed to provide some assurance that the city had a handle on things, with it's two large photos of government scientists and our water specialist in action to help solve the cause of our crypto crisis. Don't worry, everything is under control--look at all that expertise at work! They are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of how such a well managed and protected city watershed could be hit with one of the larger US Cryptosporidium outbreaks in recent years--years in which we focused on the remarkable technological improvements in Cryptosporidium detection while stalling on making decisions about which wonderful water treatment technology we would use to provide us with solutions. Years, I might add, when some didn't always follow, or follow up on the plans.

While we long to look on the bright side, there are reasons to question the rosy picture of effective action and competence presented by the Herald and city staff. Here are some questions they could ask for example:

Why did it take a citizen, me, to get two Councilors interested in going out to see if cattle had been getting into the watershed, if, as we found out later, cattle had been getting into the watershed for at least a few years? Why did City Manager Kee, after I had asked him in an August 11, 2013 email if he would like to go with me to look for cattle sign, tell me on the 13th that "We have walked the drainage a couple of times and have no immediate plans to go back out." Why, after I asked him "Has the city ever found cows in the watershed near Elk Creek?" did he tell me on August 15th that "I don’t know if cows have ever been seen in Elk Creek."? The state and Centers for Disease Control employees took cattle fecal samples on Thursday, August 22, even though the newer ones had apparently been there for a week or more on the 19th, and many others for weeks or years. When were state epidemiologists and Centers for Disease Control employees informed of cattle fecal material from this and previous years being present inside the watershed near the Elk Creek diversion and on upstream? Public Works Director Owen told Councilors at the August 13, 2013 meeting that the state had collected elk fecal samples at Elk Creek, but made no mention of cows or of them collecting fecal material from cattle.

      Relatively recent "cow pies"seen strewn along road near Elk Creek diversion on 8/19/13

Why weren't City Manager Kee, the Councilors, and the citizens of Baker City more aware of the fact  that Public Works Department personnel have known about cows getting into the watershed for over two years? Why didn't we know that the Department of Public works told the state Drinking Water Program on November 18, 2011, less than two weeks after we were told about the crypto in our water supply, that:

In order to better protect the Elk Creek Diversion Intake we will be constructing new fence next spring [Spring of 2012--over a year ago] along the boundaries of the city owned 40 acre parcel. The new fencing will prevent any livestock from entering into the city property. [Emphasis added]

Similarly, why weren't we all, including City Manager Mike Kee, informed early on that the Watershed Management report from March 4, 2013 stated:

Also the City has purchased materials to construct a barb wire fence around 40 acres of City owned land surrounding the Elk Creek Diversion. This fence will provide a barrier for cattle ranging in the close proximity. Currently there is a meandering range allotment fence that extends for miles. This fence protects the Elk Creek Watershed and is in good repair most of the time, but there have been incidents where cattle have found their way to the wrong side of the fence. The new fence will protect the diversion and approximately 1/4 mile ofthe Elk Creek riparian zone from stray cattle. [Emphasis added]

The promised fence was never built. So, given that safe drinking water is of fundamental importance to the healthy functioning and economic prosperity of a city, and given that Public Works knew that cows were regularly trespassing on the watershed around Elk Creek, why wasn't the plan to build that fence in the spring of 2012 followed?  I was told by a person at the state level that "the fencing project was not undertaken due to time/manpower limitations." Well, during that time, our resources in time and manpower were being spent on expanding the irrigation pond at the golf course and on Resort Street under-grounding of utilities. (See the Weekly Reports for the period in question.) Like Marshall McComb, a local resident told me recently: "Holy Cow!"

Sacred cows still near watershed and in wrong pasture a week or more after cows were discovered in watershed.

                 Baker City's well watered golf course

The March 27, 2012 Council meeting discussed a perceived need to change the work on the golf course connection from the $3500 back flow valve agreed upon a year earlier to a $50,000 expansion and sealing of the irrigation pond with associated delivery pipe and other infrastructure. At the meeting, Finance Director Jeanie Dexter reminds the Council that the golf course fund is in a deficit situation to the tune of $52,000 already (assuming $20,000 was going to be spent on a backflow device and $80,000 to be transferred from LAMP fund)), and that even with the $80,000 that the Council could make available to the golf course, there would only be $28,000 in additional funding left from the $80,000 to use for the project.

Why, at that March 27, 2012 Council meeting, after Councilor Roger Coles asked about the backup drinking water well at the golf course, was he told that it had been inoperable for a year? 

Why did much of the Council initially ignore that fact, waiting for the golf course operator to twice insist that he needed it for backup before even thinking about it?  

Given that Public Works Director Owen then told Council that "the well issue can be worked out through the water fund . . . as opposed to the golf course fund . . . .," Why is that well still inoperable one year and five months later, in the middle of a crisis during which we are discussing trying to find additional clean water sources? (See August 13, 2013 video clip here)

       Water Level Gauge for Inoperable Backup Well at Golf Course

The 2012 Watershed Management Report states:

Diversions used for collection of surface water are monitored by City Personnel on a regular basis throughout the year (weather pennitting) as part of our operations. Several observations were made ofunauthorized entry in the Watershed using trail cameras. This information was then given to the USFS law enforcement officials.

Watershed security remains a high priority and the City may continue to monitor points of entry to identify unauthorized entry by using trail cameras.

Apparently they have the trail camera photos, what do they show?  

We often look to technology to save us while forgetting that the human element plays at least as large a part in how well our systems function as technology. Humans have to follow plans that have been developed to make our technologically enhanced systems function properly, and supervisors, as well as others in the regulatory framework, need to make sure those plans are being followed. In our case, if the plans were followed up on, we might not even be talking about the need for a technologically complex and expensive filtration system for the watershed. 

So here's the plan--it's an old one but has important sections that have not been taken seriously.

In trying to understand this recent, destructive and debilitating crypto problem within our watershed I asked the city for our Watershed Management Plan which is required by state law. I asked for it last week and after I received it I was told by the city that they then had posted it on the city website. I could not easily find it, but I'm sure it is there somewhere. In addition to having requirements, it has interesting historical documents within it, one of which is a 1904 Presidential proclamation establishing our "protected" watershed.

Among other things, the Watershed Management Plan states or requires the following (Emphasis Added):

*The goal of the Baker City Watershed Management Plan is to maintain or improve the present quantity and quality of the raw water of the Watershed, and to ensure the water quality is maintained at or above the level set by the Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWIR) to avoid filtration.

*The City was notified by the Oregon Health Division by a letter dated July 26, 1991, that the City can meet all the criteria for exemption to filtration.

*Big game management will be directed toward maintaining proper herd levels of deer and elk which are compatible with water quality criteria. Animal population will be controlled to not degrade the water quality in the Watershed.

*Livestock: Livestock will not be allowed within the boundaries of the Watershed. Preventative measures will be used if needed to prevent animals from trespassing into the Watershed. 

*No grazing of livestock in the Watershed is permitted.

*If the turbidity is a wide spread or long lasting problem, the system will be switched from surface water to ground water by using one or both of the City's two deep wells which have a combined capacity of approximately 2,800 GPM, which exceeds the water demand in the spring of the year .. the time when the turbidity is most likely to occur. Even during periods of high demand, it is adequate with some rationing. [These two wells are the ASR well, (presently functioning), and the well in the golf course parking lot (hasn't functioned for years).]

*Annual Report   

B) Personnel Education/Experience:(1) Minimum education of key personnel in Watershed Management: 

 (a) Director of Public Works minimum qualifications: Graduation from a four year college or university with specialization in civil engineering and three years of progressive responsible professional experience in public works administration including supervisory capacity; or any combination of experience and education that demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed above.   

(b) Water Supervisor minimum qualifications: Five years experience in water maintenance and water and sewer construction work, with one year in a supervisory capacity; certified to Class Two as water treatment operator, water distribution operator, within two years of appointment as supervisor; or any combination of experience and educational training that demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skill, and abilities listed above. 

(c) Water Specialist minimum qualifications: Three years experience in the operation and maintenance of water treatment plant; supplemented by special coursework in water treatment operation; or any combination of education and experience which demonstrates provision of the knowledge, skill, and ability listed above; Water Treatment II Classification or successful certification within one year from date of appointment or within next State of Oregon certification testing cycle.

*An annual written report will be made and submitted to the State of Oregon Health Department with a copy to Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, headquarters, no later than January 15th of each year [Now October 10 per OAR 333-061-0040(1)(E)(B)(i).]. At minimum the report will include the following:

. . . . 

B) Key Individuals & Qualifications: A list of all key individuals responsible for theWatershed. The list will include their education, experience and training relating to theirability to operate the Watershed. 

*[August 1991] MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING between WALLOWA-WHITMAN NATIONAL FOREST and CITY OF BAKER CITY, OREGON

 Zones of Influence: This includes lands adjacent to the Watershed which will affect or be affected by management of the Watershed. Zones of Influence mayor may not drain into the Watershed, but management of the resources and activities in these zones will be done in such a manner as to reflect the standards of management desired within the Watershed.  . . . .

Zones of Influence: A Zone of Influence exists outside the boundaries of the Watershed which could have a substantial impact on the water quality produced within the boundaries of the Watershed. 

The areas designated as Zones of Influence lying within the National Forest boundaries will be managed with Best Management Practices (BMP) and as prescribed in the Watershed Management Plan. No activities will be allowed in the Zones of Influence which will have an adverse impact on the water quality or quantity. Special attention will be given to the use of any herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals to assure no contamination is allowed to occur which would affect the water quality within the boundary of the Watershed. Also, special attention will be given to any grazing permits given within the Zones of Influence to ensure that livestock will not stray into the Watershed.   . . . .

Nothing in this MOD shall be construed as obligatory of either party to expend funds, nor involve the United States or the City in any contracts or other obligation for future payment of monies in excess of appropriations authorized by law.

Here are some of the Baker City Watershed Management Reports that I have been able to obtain. Note that all appear to be late, most do not include the qualifications of the Director of Public Works and some do not include the qualifications the Water Supervisor, as required by the Baker City Water Management Plan. The 2012 and 2011 reports show that the Public works staff were aware of cattle getting into the watershed and of their unmet plans to build a fence to keep them out. My emails and interactions with the City Manager and Councilors indicate that that they too did not know that cattle were getting into the watershed around the times when testing and Cryptosporidium disease outbreaks showed that cryptosporidium was in the watershed. I do not know whether they knew or didn't know, I only know that they did not indicate to me that they knew. I also do not know whether cattle are the cause of our Cryptosporidium outbreak, and because of the way things were handled, we may never know exactly what the cause was. If the state had known ASAP that fresh cattle fecal material was found in the watershed, they might have been able to get better samples to genotype. Perhaps if the state had returned my call prior to their trip on August 22, they would have asked myself and Councilor Dorrah to show them where the freshest samples were located. Instead, they asked the Herald to tag along to provide PR.

Baker City 2012 Watershed Management Report

Baker City 2011 Watershed Management Report

Baker City 2007 Watershed Management Report

Baker City 2006 Watershed Management Report

I'll add more reports if I can get them, but the last Public Works Director who may have met the requirements for pubic works director laid down in the Watershed Management Plan was probably Dick Fleming, who was asked to resign by City Manager Jerry Gilham in April of 2004. He was after all a professional engineer.

So, the best laid schemes of mice and men will often go awry,
And I know for sure, that there is too, more than meets the eye.
People may pose and politics will play,
But it's often education that saves the day.

"the best laid schemes of mice and men will often go awry" is from To a Mouse, a poem by Robert Burns, 1786, the rest from yours truly.

Perhaps if the city would have published their plans and Annual Watershed Reports on the website earlier and explained them at City Council meetings, some of us would have had a clearer picture of the dangers we faced, and would have asked some relevant questions when they could have made a difference.

I might add that Council priorities play a big part in how things turn out.  We needed attention to basic infrastructure for fundamental priorities, like watershed management, water quality and water treatment for all citizens, but we got Council attention and scarce resources spent on the needs of relatively few golfers and the owners of property around the golf course, as well as to the needs of businesses on Resort Street, and their fans inside and outside of local government, who wanted underground utilities there. They also approved paying off $25,000 of a $61,000, 2002 airport facilities project debt while using $36,256 on "loan" from the equipment and vehicle fund to refinance the rest. The golf course has generally received significant subsidies from the city since the ill-advised creation of the "back nine" about a decade ago, and both the golf course and the under-grounding of utilities on Resort Street have soaked up funding, as well as city worker time and equipment, when we should have been expending those resources on protecting against known threats in the watershed.

Baker City's well watered, and not very well used, golf course as seen in reflection from clubhouse window

Beyond what I've posted previously, above are some of the documents, circumstances, and facts, surrounding the history leading up to our crypto crisis, and it currently is the best I can do. You can use these findings as you will. I have already forgotten some important points, but will add them and the two relevant YouTube Council videos as I can (done).

There is a Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday night at 7 PM (8/27/13), and two state representatives will be there to discuss our options. 

Forgot to add that the state epidemiologist, Emelio De Bess, confirmed late Friday, when I was finally able to talk with him,  that the species of Cryptosporidium found in the human fecal samples was Cryptosporidium parvum, and they were all of the same genotype. They will compare that species and genotype to the species and genotype found in the other fecal samples they have collected so far from water and animals. Hopefully, the cattle fecal samples he collected will be from the younger animals and be in good enough condition for molecular analysis. He wasn't sure if the sample they have from the 913 crypto collected in the water sample from Elk Creek earlier will be in good enough condition to genotype for comparison to the human fecal samples already genotyped because the staining of the slide may have made that impossible. He is hopeful, and did not say what happened to the rest of the sample, if there was any left.
____

Some Cryptic Aspects of the Crypto Outbreak, Part 1

[Edited and updated  8/23/13]
This blog may contain more information about Cryptosporidium than some people want.  If so, skip down to the YouTube videos at the end.  One from Wally Sykes in Wallowa County about a Wolverine, and the other about the activities of the Sheriff in Malheur County.  As usual, if they don't play, click on the title above the video, and it will take you directly to the YouTube video. The previous blog on this subject has also been updated.
__

One of the interesting problems associated with the 1993 Milwaukee, WI, Cryptosporidum outbreak, which affected some 400,000 people directly, was that the actual cause was never determined. Those that studied the epidemic could not come to a definitive conclusion as to whether it was caused by dairy cattle or a sewage issue.

Most of us would like to know the primary cause of disease outbreaks that create such damaging effects to people's health and financial well being, so that we can prevent them from happening in the future. This is certainly here in Baker City, where we face large expenditures necessitated by the state and federal drinking water rules, and where economic losses due to sickness and curtailment of business activity have been large. When the cause remains obscure, correcting such a problem efficiently becomes extremely difficult. If we knew for certain that the problem was caused by mountain goats, elk, cows, (and yes, I've heard "sabotage" offered up) or some other specific agent or event, we could zero in on effective solutions that might save us millions of dollars that would otherwise be directed at prevention associated with unknown causes and for unknown reasons.

As of now, given the available information, the cause of our Crypto outbreak remains a mystery.

I have tried this week to get information from the County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority about what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of samples in order to help people understand more about the actual cause of our waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak. Information is hard to come by, at least for me, although it appears that mountain goats are no longer a suspect. Yesterday morning, Alicia Hills from our County Public Health Department, was able to reveal that the tests on mountain goat scat were negative for Cryptosporidium. That, coupled with few crypto oocysts in Goodrich Reservoir, tends to count them out as a significant contributor to any crypto load in the watershed.

Here is the crux of my problem as a citizen blogger trying to get current relevant information: On July 16, 2013, I asked the Oregon Health authority (OHA) for information about a different potential health problem. As of today, they have not answered my questions.

Yesterday I left a message to an OHA person concerning our crypto outbreak, and what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of samples, because the intermediate contact allowed me to leave them a message. I had asked them the same questions on Tuesday. I have not received a return call. I was not able to talk to a person even remotely connected to the Crypto outbreak study until today, and he promised to try to find answers to the questions I asked from some unknown person who is supposed to have some idea about what is going on. Additionally, the state drinking authority contact that used to respond to my questions has gone silent [Seems to be back today! 8/23/13]. Apparently, I'm not a preferred provider of information to the public. If history is a guide. . . .

The city though, has in some cases been responsive (I'm grateful), but trying to get information on the current costs of UV treatment vs filtration remains frustrating, even though people are forming opinions on the choice we should make without adequate information about the current costs to be borne in the long term. Once people commit to an opinion, positions tend to harden, and some will try to defend their opinion regardless of new information. That is why Herald editorials and Herald opinion polls in the middle of a crisis, before adequate information is provided, do not serve the public well. It can though be an effective strategy for advancing a position without regard to the financial welfare of the community.

For review, here are the figures for treatment options from November 22, 2009 (Capital is essentially the cost of the plant, "$M" stands for MILLIONS of dollars, O and M stands for yearly Operation and Maintenance [multiply by $1,000 so 332 means $332,000 yearly O and M costs]):

Table 2. Cost Opinion for LT2ESWTR Compliance Options

Compliance Option          Capital ($M)        O and M ($1,000/yr)            Present Worth ($M)

UV                                         2.3                       13                                           2.5

Ozone                                   4.8                         89                                          5.8

Chlorine Dioxide                    12.7                       74                                          13.6

Membrane Filtration              17.7                       332                                         21.5

Notes:

1. Capital Cost includes Engineering and Services During Construction

2. Oxone and Chlorine Dioxide costs from Formation and Control of DBPs in Drinking

Water, AWWA 1999. Chlorine Dioxide costs include 12-MG contact tank.

3. UV Costs from UV Disinfection Costs for Inactivating Cryptosporidium, JAWWA June

2001

4. Costs updated to June 2009 dollars using ENR 20-city average construction cost index

Assumptions:

Average Annual Flow = 4 mgd

Plant Capacity = 12 mgd

Discount (interest) rate = 6%

Amortization Period = 20 yrs

Engineering and Services During Construction = 25%

Contingency on Capital Costs = 30%

The information available from 2009, as well as the information provided below, would indicate that committing to filtration at this point is ill advised.

Getting back to the cryptic aspects of the crypto outbreak: what kinds of tests have been performed on what types of fecal material and water samples, so that we can understand more about the actual cause of our waterborne Cryptosporidium outbreak? Alicia Hills said that the only test result she had was the negative test for Cryptosporidium in mountain goat scat, and that she did not know what all the samples taken consisted of. She did not know whether the cattle fecal material found near the Elk Creek water supply intake had been tested. After all, no one was aware, or at least admitting, that cattle had been in the watershed until after I asked first Mike Kee, and then Clair Button, to go with me to investigate on August 12--a request that resulted in our August 19th trip to Elk Creek. Given the washed out condition of some of the more recent cattle fecal material found on that date, it is conceivable that some of it was present prior to the August 1 rain event. No one I've talked to thus far has been able to answer the question of whether they have tested the more recent fecal material from cattle in the watershed, and those who should know have not returned my calls.

Without that information, it all remains a mystery.

So I get to poke around the edges in the dark because the state is not responsive. I hate to resort to public records requests, but may have to.

Two Cow Pies up on trail to the east of the water supply diversion at Elk Creek.  They look older than a week, but less than two months old. If modern science can radiocarbon date a dinosaur bone that is millions of years old, one might expect that they can date a cow pie of recent origin?  Maybe it isn't sensitive enough for that.

One can though, do research on the published scientific findings from studies published on the internet. Reading through the findings may be challenging for some, but I encourage everyone to do so. It is not entertainment unless you have a fondness for facts, but it can be enlightening. Here are some of those findings (Direct quotations are in italics with underlining added, all misunderstandings obviously my own):

1)  From Genotyping Cryptosporidium from water to source track fecal contaminationin agricultural watersheds from a Thesis by Norma Jean Ruecker, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY, JANUARY, 2013. (I rely on this first because it is recent and incorporates information from many previous studies.)

• Species originating from wildlife represented a low risk to human health. 
• Molecular tools exist for effective molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water so as to identify host sources and individual species or genotypes (paraphrased). It is ... important that the molecular tools used for characterizing human isolates are capable of detecting all known species/genotypes of Cryptosporidium. In other words, the ability exists to make decisions about the probable cause of a crypto outbreak, and to differentiate between pathogenic and non pathogenic species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium in your water supply and in fecal samples tested.
• Ultimately, these approaches can be used to characterize sources of fecal pollution in the environment and aid in the development of mitigation strategies focused on reducing the burden of Cryptosporidium in drinking water sources in an effort to protect public health.
• A thorough review of the published surveys of Cryptosporidium in cattle reported prevalence ranges from 0 to 100% with typically higher rates in younger animals compared to older ones.
• With C. parvum being the only cattle-associated species which has been demonstrated to be a significant zoonotic risk to humans [a human pathogen--cause of disease in humans], the knowledge of age dependent prevalence challenges the current understanding of the risk that cattle associated Cryptosporidium spp. pose to public health.
• As C. parvum has been detected in all the major livestock species, it poses the greatest risk for zoonotic transmission to humans. Pre-weaned calves are considered the major animal host for C. parvum and the most likely source of zoonotic cryptosporidiosis. [Although Cryptosporidium parvum does exist in weaned calves. Chris]
• recently as many as 25 species and close to 50 genotypes [of Cryptosporidium] have been described. This information provides a solid framework for assessing public health risks and also allows tracking of the host sources associated with Cryptosporidium contamination in the
  environment.
• The species of high risk to human health were present in only 1.2% of the samples analyzed. This knowledge challenges the LT2ESWTR regulation in the US by providing evidence that the regulation may be overprotective, leading, in some cases, to unnecessary capital expenditures for water utilities. Of the 25 species and ~50 genotypes of Cryptosporidium described, only 2 species, C. hominis and C. parvum, account for 95% of human clinical infections. Only a few other Cryptosporidium species and genotypes account for all other clinical infections in humans. This study demonstrates that although 45% of all the water samples analyzed had Cryptosporidium oocysts detected, only 17% of the samples had species or genotypes detected which have been associated with human infections. Species of Cryptosporidium that are considered to be of high risk to humans: C. hominis and C. parvum. Two others are medium risk and three are low risk. The rest are considered no risk.
• sustained viability [of crypto oocysts] is dependent upon the environmental conditions they are exposed to (i.e., solar UV inactivation, dessication, fermentation). [I would add freezing--see later citation]
• It is a conclusion of this thesis that until improved and more accurate models can be developed, Cryptosporidium monitoring including genotyping is the only reliable way to assess parasite loading in surface water. 
• Hazard identification is considered the central element, or foundational basis, of the risk assessment framework from which the other components are derived. . . . .Simply put, not all Cryptosporidium parasites observed in water are infectious to humans. Even when considering those that are hazardous to humans, a relative level of risk exists (i.e., high, medium, low).
• detection and subsequent molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water can be used to infer potential host sources of fecal pollution impacting water quality within a watershed, an extremely important part of the risk mitigation element of the risk assessment framework. Identifying the sources of pollution contributing to the Cryptosporidium burden allows for the development of watershed protection strategies designed to reduce or mitigate these environmental burdens.
  
• data presented in this thesis suggests that wildlife appear to represent little risk to public health in the development of cryptosporidiosis in humans. In this context, management of wildlife may not be necessary or worthwhile in terms of risk mitigation for some drinking water systems.
• the Water Research Foundation (financially supported by water utility subscribers) initiated a request for proposals entitled: “Selecting and Standardizing the Most Appropriate Cryptosporidium Genotyping Tool for Regulatory Compliance Monitoring”, in 2009, with the intent of developing a validated Cryptosporidium genotyping tool suitable for inclusion into the regulatory water quality monitoring frameworks of the USEPA (LT2ESWTR)
• Regulators of the water industry are likely to remain risk adverse and therefore moving forward, municipal water utilities will continue to challenge regulation through the use of applied science. This will be driven by the need for municipalities to balance fiscal responsibility with public health safety.

2) Giardia Cyst and Cryptosporidium Oocyst Survival in Water, Soil, and Cattle Feces

• Cryptosporidium oocysts were more environmentally resistant. At −4 and 4°C, the oocysts could survive in water and soil for 12 wk but degradation was accelerated at 25°C. Cryptosporidium oocysts also were degraded more rapidly in feces and in soil containing natural microorganisms. [Crypto oocysts survive for over three months in water at 24.8 and 39.2 degrees fahrenheit, as might be expected in frozen and unfrozen water, and under a blanket of snow. Most microorganisms are not going to be very active at 24.8 degrees and so will not be degrading crypto oocysts.]

3) Effects of Low Temperatures on Viability of Cryptosporidium parvum Oocysts

• All mice that received oocysts frozen at -10 [degrees] C   [14 degrees fahrenheit] for 8, 24, and 168 h and those that received oocysts stored at 5 [degrees] C for 168 h had developmental-stage parasites. These findings  demonstrate for the first time that oocysts of C. parvum in water can retain viability and infectivity after freezing and that oocysts survive longer at higher freezing temperatures. [This implies that oocysts may survive at 14 degrees F for some time]
  
  
• In nature, survival of oocysts might be extended beyond the times observed in the present study when water containing minerals or organic material is frozen or when oocysts are frozen at temperatures above -10 [degrees]C  [14 degrees fahrenheit]. Such conditions might be found in areas where, after ground temperatures fall to just below freezing, a layer of snow insulates that surface from much colder air temperatures, enabling oocysts to survive perhaps for weeks or months.

4) Selection and Application of Microbial Source Tracking Tools For Water-Quality Investigations

Cryptosporidium oocysts: 

• Can remain viable for greater than 6 months at 20 degrees Celsius in water (Fayer and others, 2000. 
• In three environmental freshwaters, 0.1% survival over 10 weeks at 25 degrees and higher rates of survival at 4 degrees (Simmons and Sobsey, 2002). 
• Survival and infectivity in freshwater detected after more than 12 weeks (Olson and others 1999).

5) Surface Water Quality--Overland and Near-Surface Transport of Cryptosporidium parvum from Vegetated and Nonvegetated Surfaces

• Livestock, both open range and those in concentrated animal facilities, have been associated with high concentrations of C. parvum. . . . . Infected animals can pass as many as 10 billion oocysts per gram of feces, and a small number of infected animals can produce enough oocysts to potentially contaminate a large water source. [This goes a long way toward explaining how a small amount of infected fecal material from an infected calf in a water supply could contaminate the water around, say, a water supply intake in a small creek.]

6) Cryptosporidiosis of Livestock

• C. parvum, C. andersoni, C. canis, C. felis, C. hominis, and C. suis, have been reported in human infections. [The vast majority by C. parvum and C. hominis]
. . . in order to accurately assess the risk that livestock might pose to humans, molecular-based prevalence studies are necessary. Such studies could help to identify potential source of these organisms causing human infection, and lead to improved control strategies. Greater understanding of the species and genotypes present in animals and the patterns of transmission can improve our ability to control these infections will hopefully result in significant benefits to society in terms of both animal and human health.

7)  Concentrations of Pathogens and Indicators in Animal Feces in the Sydney Watershed

• Pathogen and fecal indicator concentrations were generally higher in domestic animal feces than in wildlife feces. Future studies to quantify potential pathogen risks in drinking-water watersheds should thus focus on quantifying pathogen loads from domestic animals and livestock rather than wildlife.

Lastly: On Cryptosporidium detection limits:

8)  Effects of Time and Watershed Characteristics on the Concentration of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in River Water

• . . .  the detection limit of the analytical method, about 0.1 oocysts per liter; . . . .  

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Wallowa Wolverine

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Corrupt Cops Caught by Their Own Cruiser Camera!!!

AP Article on Incident:

Flight recorders found in deadly UPS plane crash

Sheriff says FBI to probe activist traffic stop

Published: August 14, 2013

By JEFF BARNARD — Associated Press

GRANTS PASS, Ore. —

. . . .

"We are sending all information and recordings that we have (to the FBI) and they will look at it," Sheriff

Brian E. Wolfe told The Associated Press in an email.

"I want to make sure nothing was done wrong," he said.

. . . .

Wolfe acknowledged that two deputies, acting on orders from a supervisor, pulled over Steve Hindi, . . . .

Wolfe said there was no traffic violation or evidence of any other crime.

Deputy Brian Belnap and Deputy Brian Beck were on duty and following orders from their supervisor, Lt. Rob Hunsucker, Wolfe said. There was no probable cause a crime or traffic violation had been committed.

No one has been disciplined or placed on leave, he said.

. . . .

Old and New Cow Pies Found Near Elk Creek Intake of Baker City Watershed.

[Edited 8/20&22/13]

Councilors Dennis Dorrah and Clair Button allowed me to go with them on a ground survey of the Elk Creek drainage portion of the Baker City Watershed today. The water supply just above the Elk Creek diversion is where the 913 crypto oocysts turned up in a ten liter sample taken on August 4, 2013. I had wanted to look things over since the water supply intake is very close to a cattle allotment fence on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and I had raised the idea that, because of that fact, cows had emerged as a suspect in the mystery concerning the source of Baker City's recent Cryptosporidium outbreak. See: New Suspects in Baker City Cryptosporidium Case?

 This cow and her calf were just inside the gate that keeps vehicles out of the watershed, a hundred yards or two from the diversion, but presently outside the rickety old watershed fence. We were told they were not supposed to be in this pasture until September, and even though the permittee fixed a hole in the fence last week three cows and their calves are still here next to the watershed fence.

Cows are a well known carrier of crypto (as opposed to say, ex-Councilor Sam Bass, who is not a known carrier of crypto, despite what you might hear), but as Dennis Dorrah commented to myself and Clair Button today (paraphrasing), the city doesn't seem to be taking cows seriously. Jake Jones, who takes care of the watershed, told us today that 6 cows (3 cow/calf pairs) had been found inside the watershed last week. He said he contacted the rancher who came and retrieved them, and also repaired a hole in the fence. I had been previously assured that cattle entry was infrequent and I believe we were told the same today. I will cover more of this issue later on the blog. 

Councilor Clair Button knows cows. Clair is not just a botanist--in his career job with the BLM he was also called upon at least occasionally to ride herd on ranchers and their cows, which can be a pretty difficult job, given the local politics in cow-raising counties with public land grazing allotments.  I know cows too. I've been  watching them be in the wrong place at the wrong time for 30 some years in my travels throughout the West, and in monitoring grazing damage in western streams.  I spent about ten years nearly alone watching them be in the wrong place at the wrong time over on the Malheur National Forest while I spent my retirement money mostly volunteering by myself and then for the Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) on a few different grazing lawsuits whose central issue was grazing damage to public resources. ONDA recently won $1.25 million dollars in fees for a lawsuit that I spent several years of my life working on. I think it is fair to say, that because I did the major portion of the monitoring, data collection, and laborious report making, which was accepted by the courts, that I too, know a bit about grazing. (Don't worry about me getting lifted out of poverty, ONDA hasn't offered me a nickel of the settlement so that I could help continue that work.) Dennis too, has spent his life in Oregon. He knows a cow pie from an apple pie too, and he saw a lot of the former today.  I'm betting you know the difference as well, but does the city staff?  Of course they do!  They know these hills and the watershed better than I do, but politics, denial and job security are powerful forces to be reckoned with.

OK, so we all know something about cows and cow pies, and today we found not just cow pies in the watershed, we found new cow pies and old cow pies--those of recent trespass, and those from last year and perhaps before. 

This photo shows the two Councilors and watershed personnel inspecting the Elkhorn Creek diversion to the Baker City water supply inside the Baker City watershed.  In the foreground are three, possibly cryptosporidium laden, droppings from a recent visit by cows who are not supposed to be in the watershed. The watershed, after all, is protected by an old rickety fence, the rancher/permittee, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and city personnel.

A little later, Councilors Dorrah, Button, and I, hiked overland (trail-less) across the diversion and up the steep slopes of the watershed to the west.  They hiked up the steep slopes like a pair of mountain goats, and even though Councilor Dorrah is five years older than I, a few weeks old blister on the ball of my foot got re-aggravated, so I wimped out and returned to where I wanted to be anyway, the area where we had seen the cow sign previously. I was  glad it happened as we were able to document more of the problem area between the two parties. They eventually came back around, after an arduous hike, to the spring we had noticed earlier as we viewed things on the east side from the west side above the creek. When I came back down, I was able to inspect the trails I had seen earlier going up near the east side of Elk Creek.

We all saw limited quantities of elk and deer droppings well dispersed in the watershed and Clair saw fresh elk droppings at "two sedge bog springs very close to the stream that were getting significant elk use, and water from the bogs definitely drained into the stream." Cow pies were seen by Dennis and Clair up the slope below a spring and the road overlooking the diversion, and I found them on the trail near the creek above the diversion. I documented cow pies and cow trails from the area around the diversion on upstream for about 1/4 to 1/3 mile. Cow pies (scat, droppings), most, but not all, from earlier years, were a common sight.

Fairly fresh cow leavings on cow trail heading upstream within the watershed from the area about 50 feet east of the Elk Creek diversion.

As I went up the trail on the east side of Elk Creek I found numerous cow pies, most from previous years but two from the current year.  About 1/4 to 1/3 mile upstream I came to an area that was open to cows that led down to the creek. There was an eroded cow trail evident, and at the bottom were pieces of cow pies from last year or previous, that had washed down within about 15 feet from the creek. I followed and filmed and found this: a washed-out cow pie, probably from last fall,  as well as a companion a few yards north, sitting on the bank just above the creek.

One of the older cow pies found on the trail above the Elk Creek diversion

Lower portion of eroding cow trail leading down to Elk Creek

Cow Pie within high water level of Elk Creek, about 1/4 to 1/3 mile above diversion in watershed. It sits on current bank above Elk Creek. It is the gray blob in the right hand portion of the photo, with Elk Creek flowing just below to the left in photo.  There is another cow pie situated similarly on the bank just above the current flow level of the creek about 3 to 4 feet upstream. This is well within the high water level of the creek and could also be affected by other high precipitation events, such as the one in mid-June, where the possibility exists for runoff into Elk Creek.  Runoff from the many other cow pies noted could also possibly affect crypto levels within this Baker City water supply drainage. [I checked my own records, and there was a significant precipitation event on June 19, followed by others of lesser quantities. A city staff person had mentioned mid-July, but weather service records do not show one occurring then. Edited 8/22/13.]

I will add more information and evidence later, either under this particular blog title, or under a new rewritten blog. 

There is much more to think about concerning our small community's safe water future, not the least of which is the high initial cost and yearly maintenance costs of filtration as opposed to the much lower initial cost and yearly maintenance costs of UV treatment. Also for consideration--are we going to protect our watershed from cows, or are we going to be cowed by powerful interests?

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YouTube Videos from the August 8, 2013 Special Baker City public meeting on Cryptosporidium outbreak

[Editted 8/13/13]  Below are the YouTube Videos from the August 8, 2013 Special Baker City public meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak. If you have already viewed some of them on YouTube, please note that I have attempted to renumber them according to their order of occurrence at the meeting. I have finally been able to find the time to process, describe, tag, and upload them all (very time consuming). Again, these videos were taken with poor stage lighting and with no additional illumination, but they are generally acceptable for viewing and the sound is OK if you set your computer to full volume. They are best viewed on YouTube. To watch on YouTube you can click on the title link for the segment. The YouTube embed feature wasn't working for me earlier and the images create a long blog download for people with limited connection speeds, so I've only used two embedded video.

Sometimes the most interesting comes last, so you might want to view the last segment first.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 1: Intro, Baker City, OR 080813
 
Mayor Langrell opened and explained the nature of the meeting before turning it over to City manager Mike Kee who presented the agenda and provided a summary timeline that was similar to the information in his August 2, 2013 Weekly Update. He also provided the results of the Cryptosporidium tests that have occurred during the Crypto "crisis."
Somewhat dim and grainy due to low light on Baker City High School auditorium stage but best video possible under the conditions.

Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 2 Alicia Hills, from the Baker County Health Department 

Alicia Hills, from the Baker County Health Department, spoke about the 15 confirmed Crypto cases and the "About Cryptosporidiosis" flyer that has been made available to residents and visitors which lists recommendations and suggestions for staying safe during Baker City's Crypto crisis
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 3: Michelle Owen's Report 080813 

Michelle Owen, Baker City's Public Works Director, adds details to Cryptosporidium timeline and offers additional information at the Baker City Crypto Meeting 080813.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 4: Heidi Dalton Discusses Pool Safety and Reasons for Pool Closure

Heidi Dalton explains the rationale behind the decision to keep the Sam-O-Swim pool facility closed, i.e., the risks spreading Cryptosporidium infection by keeping it open were too high. They will do the usual September maintenance during the current closure period.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 5: Bill Goss Talks About Boil Water Order in Baker City 080813

 In talk to residents about the Boil Water Order issued for Baker City. OR, Bill Goss from the Drinking Water Program at the Oregon Health Authority says that "No one is to be blamed for this event" and that "It's going to take a bit of time to really figure out exactly what happened and how to resolve it.."  In order for the state issued boil water order to be lifted, he said "We would need two consecutive samples from each of the drainage intakes that are in use, and also two consecutive samples that show no oocysts from the three locations in the distribution system. So we're looking for water with zero detections of of Cryptosporidium (Crypto).

He also says the state and city will develop an ongoing monitoring program for Cryptosporidium. [Crypto had been found in small numbers during required monitoring back in 2010-2011, but the city quit monitoring for Crypto in 2011 because they were no longer required to do so.--Chris]

He talked about the fact that approved treatments (including UV and filtration) would remove 99.9% of Crypto oocysts but that treatments do not "completely eliminate the risk of exposure" but does meet drinking water standards. While talking about what people can do to be safe, he reiterated that ". . . There is no way to completely eliminate the risk of exposure to this parasite" and said that "Boiling is the only way to kill all Cryptosporidium cysts."
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 6: Michelle Owen Talks About Water Treatment Solutions 080813 

Baker City Public Works Director Michelle Owen speaks to residents about several proposed solutions for providing safe drinking water for Baker City, Oregon during a public meeting. These include Long-term, Mid-term, and Short-term solutions.

Long-term:  The city is moving forward with an expedited schedule for installing the UV water treatment facility to remove 99.9% of Cryptosporidium oocysts from our water.  This plan meets current standards and was approved by the state of Oregon.

Mid-term:  Drilling or acquiring supplementary wells for additional water sources to meet contingencies. Well water is normally free of Cryptosporidium and would provide clean additional back-up water that would be helpful in emergencies.

Short-term:  People can by home filtration systems to provide additional safety, currently and in the future. Additionally, the city is contemplating borrowing portable membrane or UV filtration systems to treat sizable quantities of water to provide for citizens until the current emergency situation is resolved.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 7: Brian Black of HDR Talks About UV Treatment Facility 080813 

Brian Black of HDR Engineering told the audience at the special Baker City meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak about the accelerated schedule for installing the already planned UV treatment facility for the Baker City drinking water supply. He noted that due to the accelerated schedule, decisions have to be made rather quickly by both the state and the city so that things can get going in August (this month).

The schedule consists of:
- Have design completed and "have construction contractors bid on the work in early spring--march of next year."
- Have UV plant "under construction in the summer."
- "facility would be ready for operation in the summer of 2015."
- Will work with city to attempt to "get the entire project completed before these dates.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 8:; Q and A Segment 1; 080813

1st segment of a long question and answer period at the Baker City Cryptosporidium Meeting, 

This segment begins with a statement By Public Works Director Michelle Owen that we do not have the money available to pay for accelerated construction of the UV treatment plan. [Remember that our City Councils have been piddling away available dollars on underground utilities for the businesses on Resort Street, the Scenic Vista water tanks, the golf course, and etc. -- Chris]

Mayor Richard Langrell asks questions derived from the written questions residents had turned in at the beginning of the meeting. He says the number one question is "What is the city planning to do to compensate for hospital stays, loss of work, or damages done to businesses. . . ." City Manager Kee stated that is is a "Council Decision" and discusses insurance issues. He says that ". . .insurance won't accept claims for interruption of business or emergency room business. . . ."

There were questions about communication issues like the reverse 911 system to notify citizens about the presence of Crypto in the water. Mike Kee said that the system allowed them to "reach 58%" of people registered in the system, and Michelle owen said that folks can sign up at Baker911.org.

Councilor Mosier asked whether we were likely to reach the zero oocysts in the water requirement given that "most often some oocysts exist in the system." Bill Goss from the OHA Drinking Water Program essentially says that it may take a considerable amount of time to reach the zero oocyst requirement, although the 2010-2011 testing met that requirement most of the time. Mike Kee comments on difficulties and that the city will submit a plan to the Oregon Health Authority. Mayor Langrell addresses questions about city water quality testing and explains that they had continued testing, but not for Cryptosporidium [after required testing ended in 2011]. He explains that the city is going to look at getting UV "online a little quicker."

And more. . . . 
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 9 Q and A Segment 2; 080813

This is the second segment of questions and answers before Mayor Langrell opens up live questioning from the assembled residents at the Baker City meeting on the Cryptosporidium outbreak.

In response to a question from Councilor Button, Bill Goss of the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program states that actual valid crypto testing recovery rates vary between 13 to 111 percent--". . . the results frankly have a pretty big margin of error, so you might find one or two cysts by the tests method, but there could be quite a few more that were not detected. That's one reason why we're also looking for zero in the samples, because even at zero, there could be one or two cysts that didn't get detected. . . ."

Mayor Langrell then talks about economic damage to the community and some rumors he's encountered about the mountain goats in the vicinity of Goodrich Reservoir.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 10 Q and A Segment 3; 080813

Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors. If the questions aren't in quotes they are paraphrased.

Jennifer Johnson: Asked "How are you going to assure our children are safe?"

Jim Thomas: Wanted to know why the city hasn't done anything about installing treatment sice they have known about it since at least December 2009 and why it hasn't been important enough to get something done "before suddenly we've got people sick." Also wondered "how prepared is this city to deal with a lawsuit?"

Milo Pope, lawyer, retired Judge and former City Councilor:  Asked why, if his statement of facts is true, which included that our engineering firm, HDR, had recommended to install UV treatment to handle drinking water disinfection, that in in Council votes, the Council majority, led by Dennis Dorrah and Roger Coles, had previously always voted against installing it.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 11 Q and A Segment 4; 080813
Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.

Residents asking questions if I could hear or understand what they said were:
[again, questions paraphrased]

Linda Ross: Asks what significance is attached to finding 913 oocysts at the Elkhorn Diversion to the water supply

Ed Shorts asked additional questions on the life cycle and life span of Cryptosporidium in or out of the water, and Bill Goss and Mayor Langrell answer.

Vernon Hull asks questions about a seeming delay in the County Health Department notifying the City.

Mel Conaway wanted to know how Crypo in the water affects garden produce and fruit trees and if any precautions need to be taken.

City Planning Commissioner Wayne Wall Stated that "As a community, I think we're looking for somebody to say "Yeah, it's our fault. I think we are looking for some kind of culpability." He also noted the length of time we've been aware of the problem and need, and asked--"Why didn't we have a filtration system in place so that we don't have to deal with this?"

Stephanie shared that she and members of her family had been sick for several weeks but didn't go to the hospital because she couldn't afford the insurance co-pay. She asked "If the city knew about it, . . . why was the city not taking the proper precautions. . . to prevent this type of thing." She knew hundreds of people who were ill. "Why weren't you trying to prevent it--Be a little bit pro-active."

Len (or Glen?) Green had questions about calls to Alicia Hills and due diligence at County Health about the actual numbers of people that are ill. Alicia Hills explained efforts they are taking. He also asked "How many samples do you take weekly and at how many intakes?" Jake Jones answers the questions. Mr. Green also asked about whether there will be continuing monitoring for Cryptosporidium now and Bill Goss, from the Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Program, explained that we are in the process now of developing a sampling schedule for Cryptosporidium that will last until treatment is operational.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 12;  Q and A Segment 5; 080813
Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.

Names of residents asking questions, if I could hear or understand what they said, were
[again, questions paraphrased]:

Jason from Water Works in La Grande: Talks about some affordable certified household water filters and mentions that Water Works also drills and works on wells.

Sarah Pelcha wanted to know what people can do to [clean and disinfect] once it is already in their home.

Michelle had questions about how crypto can be spread person to person. She mentioned that Elkhorn Drilling is a local well driller.

Judith Head asked "Is this a crisis?" "What can we do about it now?" She shared that she had been sick for three weeks and wanted to know if she could be reinfected. She told the audience that 6 pills for treatment of Cryptosporidiosis cost $164.00 and that her insurance only paid up $57.00.

Answers were provided by Alicia Hills from the County Health Department, Mayor Langrell and City Staff.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 13  Q and A Segment 6; 080813
Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.

Names of residents asking questions, if I could hear or understand what they said, were
[again, questions paraphrased]:

Alicia Hills addresses last question from Judith Head at the end of last video.

An unidentified woman from the audience asked County Health Department what do you do if we have it. . . tell us to go to the doctor and get pills we can't afford because we don't have money. . . .

Another unidentified woman from the audience asks about help from the state and Governor.

An unidentified woman from the audience again brought up that some people can't afford to go to the doctor or pay for medication, and asked what do you do then? Mike Kee responded that the pills don't do any good unless the patient is compromised. Mayor Langrell offers that the hospital is basically telling people to go home and are treating it a lot like they would the flue [if the patient is otherwise healthy I presume].

Others in the audience had questions about the health safety of children at school. One asked "How are we going to make sure that the children don't have it before they go to school?"

Sam Bass made a statement that the city staff :had been working their butts off" and "Some little bug comes along, slips in, 14 people get sick, and the whole town panics." He noted that he drinks the water, 6 glasses a day, and he doesn't have any problem.

Councilor Downing spoke about the people he had knowledge of and about the existence of other diseases in town that also cause health issues. He noted that while he sympathized with people who had become ill from Crypto, "We need to remember. . . that we need to treat this just like any other flu epidemic, any other cold epidemic, especially with the kids going to school. . . ." like his.

Linda Wall shared that she had gotten sick and asked the audience how many had experienced Crypto symptoms. She indicated after the meeting that her estimate of hands raised was between one quarter and one third.

Jeff Strom, asked several questions about UV treatment and also about effective portable water purification systems in town and in businesses and markets, that the state had shut down. Also on budget issues. He noted that previous Council should have  been taking the initiative and been requiring Crypto testing of the water. Bill Goss responds that the state was being overly cautious due to the situation. Mayor Langrell agreed and said that now there would be some serious crypto testing. The Mayor noted that after working with the state about disposing off our sewage affluent, the state has changed their mind about how to proceed.

A state Department of Agriculture representative, the department that regulates the grocery stores and food processors, explained that out of an abundance of caution they had decided to shut down some of the water filtration filters used by business. They had spoken with Safeway and in a joint decision on the side of safety ("they would rather be safe than sorry") they decided to take the actions they did. She said that she was not aware of whether the water bottling stations in those facilities (I think Jeff was referring to portable water filtration machines like Glacier Water and Sterilox) are safe or not.

Another unidentified woman in the audience complimented the city on providing clean fresh water for the public.
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Baker City Crypto Meeting Part 14 Q and A Segment 7; 080813

Last segment. Residents at the Cryptosporidium Baker City meeting ask questions to city staff and Councilors.

Mike Kee speaks to the safety of Baker City Restaurants and says the inspector says all of our restaurants are safe.

A woman who spoke so fast I couldn't understand her name asked Councilor Coles why "back in 2001 you knew that there was Crypto in Baker City water, and you and Mr. Dorrah in particular, were adamant about asking for a variance from the state, and otherwise we would potentially already have the UV plant on line now."

Mr. Coles responded that he doesn't believe "that UV is the total answer, and that has pretty much been said. 99.9%, I just don't buy into it. There was really no support for filtration. Really filtration is the end result down the road, and the other reason is that I won't rubber-stamp just because staff sends something across the desk--I won't do it--and I'm not going to jump on the first wagon in town. Now just this week we have found out, there is (sic) some comments being made through a website about sand filtration, which I was gonna ask our state man. .... The mayor covered it, and I don't know how many of you folks read the paper last night. I'm rather outspoken and that's the way it is." Councilor Coles goes on to say he was dissatisfied that our water wasn't tested and quotes the article which says that, unlike Baker City, Bend, OR employees continued to do Crypto monitoring every month since 2008 even though it wasn't required because they though it would be the best management practice and satisfy requirements for due diligence. Coles goes on to say that Bend is in the "same situation as the city of Baker, so I'll go back and say, like I did, I'm not sold on UV". [Well the same situation sort of. Both have a relatively clean water supply and both have some Crypto, but, according to Wiki, "Bend recorded a population of 76,693 at the time of the 2010 US Census, up from 52,029 at the 2000 census. The estimated population of Bend as of 2012 is 79,109." Ours, according to Census Quick Facts is 9,696. So they use probably 7 to 8 times the amount of water we use, and they have 7 to 8 times as many people to pay for it. Their tax base is huge with, according to Zillow, a median home price in June of $350,000, while Baker City's median home price was $159,000 in June. According to the census, our median income was $35,458 for the period 2007-2011, and Bend's was $52,596 for the same period. So, water quantity needing disinfection is massively different, they have many more people, who are much wealthier, and they have a larger tax base with higher property values--all of which gives them economies of scale and more and better options when it comes to choosing and paying for water treatment. Also, its not clear how Bend's testing relates to why Councilor Coles isn't "sold on UV."-Chris]

Don't miss the important statements by Bill Goss of the Oregon Water Authority later in the segment. They announce a state review of our water treatment options and the review has the potential TO CHANGE EVERYTHING and make it impossible for Baker City to install the UV system that has, as of now, been presented as an affordable and effective water treatment option for Baker City!

You can check for newly uploaded videos at my YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/refugee2000