Letter: Threats to water danger overlooked

Our drinking water, the lifeblood of our valley, is continually threatened by sewage spills, dangerous levels of bacteria, contaminated storm water, landfill runoff and industrial pollution. Two weeks ago, up to 8 million gallons of raw sewage was spilled into the Las Vegas Wash, which then flowed into Lake Mead.

Shortly before that, the Sunrise landfill was breached, causing a 4.5-mile flow of garbage into the wash. There can be little debate about the frightening implications of this constant onslaught to our primary water source.

It provides little comfort when Donald Kwalick, the county's chief health officer, says that water from Lake Mead does not go directly into our faucets. We all know it eventually ends up in our faucets and that there are dire consequences to pay when literally anything and everything ends up in the lake. The simple fact is, the cleaner the water in the lake, the cleaner our drinking water will be, regardless of any treatment efforts.

We must stop pointing fingers and passing the buck on who is responsible for water quality in Las Vegas. While local governments are legally responsible for maintaining safe and adequate facilities and infrastructure, virtually everyone in Las Vegas has an impact on our water.

Every time your car leaks oil onto the street, you put pesticides and fertilizers on your yard, use bleach and chemical cleaners in your home, and flush your toilet, you have a negative effect on our water quality. Let's remember that as we attempt to solve one of the most important challenges facing the health and well being of the valley.

Also keep in mind that public confidence in government is severely diminished when officials downplay the implications of such significant events as raw sewage spills and breached landfills. When the Health Department doesn't seem to take threats to our drinking water seriously, the community has good cause to worry.

Jessica Hodge, Urban issues coordinator, Citizen Alert

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