|
Grantsville dentist Dr. Lynn Gilbert continues to express concerns regarding
the safety of public water produced by the Grantsville Water Department,
claiming the department has used improper procedures in fixing water line
breaks.
Gilbert, who was a defeated candidate for Calhoun Commission, indicates in
a recent letter to her families newspaper (The Calhoun Chronicle), Marlan
Zwoll, sanitarian for the Calhoun County Health Department, and the
Calhoun Commission remains in the dark over her allegations about water
problems, and her charges are being ignored.
Zwoll told The Hur Herald, Dr. Gilbert has not made a formal complaint to
him regarding water quality, nor has she filed a formal complaint with the
Calhoun Commission.
Zwoll says he does not know of any health problems attached to water
produced by the Grantsville system.
Gilbert has quoted appropriate public health information regarding water
safety standards in her letters, implying the local water supply may be
dangerous to the elderly, infants, pregnant women and those with weakened
immune systems.
The charges Dr. Gilbert makes are serious. She maintains more boil-water
alerts need to be issued.
Mayor Gary Knight said to the best of his knowledge, no one using water
from the town's facility have been at the slightest risk."
Knight did say "Someone did...contact the Attorney General's office who
passed (a complaint) on to the Public Service Commission" for processing.
Knight said the Grantsville water system supplied the PSC with information
regarding how the repair was done, and it was the PSC's opinion the issue
was no cause for concern.
Dr. Gilbert, who states she has a degree in public health from Harvard, said
she has lost confidence in the public water supply, saying the Grantsville
system has "complete disregard for public health." She stated "Meanwhile,
I'm using bottled water."
Sanitarian Zwoll said he doesn't know of any water safety problems within
the Grantsville system. "I believe the public water system is safe," he said.
Zwoll said if indicators spring-up, he feels the problems will be
corrected.
Last year there was a problem with a lack of standing chlorine content in
the Mt. Zion Public Service District lines, but it was reportedly corrected.
Mayor Knight said "Our water treatment facility is state-of-the-art," and
operators are fully-trained.
He said Chief Operator and the county's Water Commissioner Dave Johnson
"has assured me that proper procedure is followed during line repair and
that water purity and consumer safety are always the primary
concern..."
Gilbert's husband, Jim Morris, has reportedly been in conflict with the water
system, causing access problems to employees who are required to go to a
holding tank located on his property.
Gilbert was upset because she was not notified at her dental office about a
recent water line break and disruption in service. Mayor Knight said if an
apology is in order "It is to any and all businesses, customers, and residents
who may have been inconvenienced or alarmed by our failure to report to
them that our water would temporarily be out of service."
Mayor Knight said "We regret consumer confidence may have been
compromised, and we sincerely hope they feel safe in using our water."
He invites the public to inspect the Grantsville Water Department
records.
Knight said he asked water engineer Johnson to verify the repair in question
and report to him.
Dr. Gilbert has been asked to respond to questions regarding this issue, but
is currently out of town.
| 
