... While Back Here In The Real World

While our political leaders plot to spend $5 million so that they don't get their hair wet (see above), folks back here in Southwest Virginia have to worry about human waste in their drinking water.

Life, as we know it, goes on.

Callahan Creek overloaded with pollutants
By JEFF LESTER, Senior Writer

Appalachia's Callahan Creek is tainted by bacteria from feces and pollution from agriculture, mining and urban life, according to a new report prepared for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.

The 500-plus-page report outlines several basic steps to begin reducing pollution in the upper Powell River watershed, including Callahan Creek and Lee County's Straight Creek. Recommendations include:

-- Eliminate nearly 350 sewage disposal systems where households "straight pipe" raw human waste into the creeks [my emphasis];

-- Fix an estimated 183 failing septic tank systems;

-- Keep livestock away from streams;

-- Reduce mine pollution by reclaiming abandoned mine land with methods to include remining; and

-- Reduce urban pollution in part by improved street cleaning and garbage control. (link)

Let's review. People in Wise and Lee Counties who have human feces floating in their drinking water had a portion of their meager incomes (an amount equal to what a Brita Water Purifier would cost) confiscated by politicians in Richmond who needed the money to construct a 100 yard tunnel between their offices and the capital building so that they wouldn't have to walk in the rain. Umbrellas are just not de rigueur, you see.

Dear state senators: $5 million would buy quite a few water filtration systems for your constituents, should you have an interest. I can even provide a source for your consideration: LINK.

I'll leave it to you to do the right thing.