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In theory, the mayor of Rose City should not have to fly to New York City to appear on a nationally televised program like "Megyn Kelly TODAY" to appeal for relief aid for Tropical Storm Harvey.
But that’s exactly what Mayor Bonnie Stephenson is scheduled to do today – not because she wants to but because she’s desperate.
Only $1.3 billion has been spent so far on Harvey recovery, with most of that coming from Washington.
The story is much the same in Bevil Oaks, which had to issue a similar notice this week after a leak at its storm-damaged water plant lowered pressure.
Three months after Harvey, 13 boil-water notices remain in effect across Texas after Harvey.
Then one by one, the problems in the other 12 communities hamstrung by boil-water notices should be assessed and resolved.
Clean water should be a priority among the many needs of Harvey victims, and that basic fact should have been grasped sooner.
The words of Janice Ratcliff, Rose City’s water operator, illustrate the problem: "It’s crazy what they put us through.
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The City of Ventura has advised residents to boil water before cooking or drinking.
Failing to boil water before using could result in intestinal or stomach illness.
The city of Ventura sent out a press release stating, "Due to the recent Thomas Fire and power outages, the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water, in conjunction with Ventura Water, are advising residents of Ventura located North of Poli Street and Foothill Road to use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution."
The city of Ventura advises to boil for at least one minute, let it cool down before using.
If you have bottled water, they advise using that instead.
Boiling water is the preferred treatment method to assure that the water is safe to drink in these areas," stated by The City of Ventura.
Ventura city officials will inform residents when tests show that the water is safe to drive and will no longer need to be boiled.
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The Health Ministry and local authorities are being slammed for "widespread systemic failure" in their duty to ensure safe drinking water, with a new report showing at least 721,000 New Zealanders and countless tourists are drinking water that may not be safe.
The second stage of a Government inquiry was released today into the health crisis in Havelock North, which saw more than a third of the town’s 15,000 people become sick from contaminated drinking water.
The inquiry was scathing on the suppliers – usually the local authority, monitored by the Health Ministry – for ensuring safe drinking water.
"These findings point to a widespread systemic failure among water suppliers to meet the high standards required for the supply of safe drinking water to the public.
Neither has the Ministry of Health … shown an ability to call the industry to account."
Read the full report here The Director-General of Health Chai Chuah told the inquiry that the figures were "very troubling", while the ministry’s leader of the drinking water team Sally Gilbert said that the figures "raise flags" and that the ministry needed to "strengthen [its] advice in this area".
Moreover, there has been no marked improvement in the number of suppliers supplying safe drinking water throughout the 2009-2016 period," despite a law change in 2007 that was considered international best practice.
In the aftermath of the bacteriological outbreak in Havelock North, these failures to respond effectively to transgressions or to monitor adequately are surprising and unacceptable."
The inquiry recommends a major overhaul of the system including 51 recommendations, including the universal treatment of drinking water, establishing a new independent drinking water regulator, and stronger laws and regulations to enforce standards.
The supply of drinking water is no different."

After power outages near the Thomas fire, the city of Ventura sent out an advisory asking residents north of Poli Street and Foothill Road to use boiled tap water for drinking and cooking as a safety precaution.
#VenturaCountyFire #CreekFire #RyeFire #ThomasFire #CaliforniaWildfires pic.twitter.com/QM0yORPPVd Instructions: Heat water until large bubbles come from the bottom to the top of the pot and let boil for at least 1 minute.
Store water in a clean, covered container.
City officials will inform residents when the water is once again safe to drink.
Wash produce with bottled or boiled water.
Make new ice with bottled or boiled water.
Give your pets bottled or boiled water.
Be careful not to swallow any water.
Use cooled, boiled water to bathe babies and young children.
After the boil water advisory is lifted, run cold-water faucets continuously for at least 5 minutes to flush them out, and change your water filters.

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Casitas Municipal Water District and the California Water Department are now warning people in Upper Ojai Valley and Western Ventura County to use boiled water and drink bottled water after a decreased water supply following the Thomas Fire.
Officials are telling people that all tap water should be boiled for about one minute.
This is to make sure that the water is safe to consume.
If you do not have gas or electricity, you can use liquid household bleach like Clorox to purify the water.
Just mix eight drops of bleach per gallon of water and let it stand for 30 minutes before drinking or cooking.
If your water looks murky, officials are asking the public not to drink it.
If you do not take these extra precautions, this could result in a stomach or intestinal illness.

After power outages near the Thomas fire, the city of Ventura sent out an advisory asking residents north of Poli Street and Foothill Road to use boiled tap water for drinking and cooking as a safety precaution.
#VenturaCountyFire #CreekFire #RyeFire #ThomasFire #CaliforniaWildfires pic.twitter.com/QM0yORPPVd Instructions: Heat water until large bubbles come from the bottom to the top of the pot and let boil for at least 1 minute.
Store water in a clean, covered container.
City officials will inform residents when the water is once again safe to drink.
Wash produce with bottled or boiled water.
Make new ice with bottled or boiled water.
Give your pets bottled or boiled water.
Be careful not to swallow any water.
Use cooled, boiled water to bathe babies and young children.
After the boil water advisory is lifted, run cold-water faucets continuously for at least 5 minutes to flush them out, and change your water filters.

After three months, a water quality advisory for thousands of homes in West Kelowna has been lifted.
On Tuesday, the city said in consultation with the Interior Health Authority, the advisory for the Lakeview water system was lifted as testing has indicated the turbidity levels have returned to acceptable levels both at the source—the Rose Valley reservoir—and within the distribution system.
Despite the lifting of the advisory, city officials said free water will continue to be offered at the city’s bulk water station at Asquith and Shannon Lake Roads until Dec. 31.
The advisory, affecting approximately 4,000 connections in areas including Lakeview Heights, Boucherie Centre, Shannon Woods, Tallus Ridge and Shannon Lake, was put in place in September due to abnormally high turbidity levels in the Rose Valley Reservoir.
It was extended as a result of maintenance activities within the distribution system.
Last year, the same water system endured a four-month water quality advisory.
During the advisories, system customers were urged to boil their tap water before drinking it, using it to wash or prepare food or brush teeth with it.
The city plans to build a $48 million water treatment plant for the system by 2020.
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Tap water in town smells and tastes "normal" again after an issue caused changes in its chlorine levels this past weekend.
A turbidity issue occurred on Saturday morning in a basin at the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission’s treatment plant in Wanaque, where Montclair gets most of its water from, according to Gary Obszarny, a licensed water operator for the Montclair Utility Department.
The turbidity issue lowered chlorine residual in the water, which gave it an unpleasant taste and caused it to smell like bleach, said Obszarny.
As the issue was being resolved, the water supply commission increased the chlorine to ensure the water was safe to drink, Obszarny explained.
Township residents started to notice the difference in smell and taste on Sunday afternoon and evening, since there is a delay from when the water leaves the treatment plant and is pumped to Montclair.
Some people complained to the municipality, according to Obszarny.
"People get acclimated to a certain water quality, so they notice when something is off," Obszarny noted.
No boil advisory was issued because the water was safe, according to Obszarny.
"The water still had higher than normal chlorine levels on Monday morning, said Obszarny, noting the levels were 1.5 or 1.7 when they are normally 0.8 to 1.2.
"The water was unpleasing, but still safe to drink," he said, affirming that the water is back to normal now.

ST. GEORGE, Kan. (KSNT) – A boil water advisory has been rescinded for the city of St. George in Pottawatomie County.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said the advisory has been canceled for all people living on 2nd Street, 3rd Street, Jefferson Street, and Jackson Street.
KDHE issued the advisory due to a loss in pressure, which they say can cause a loss in chlorine and bacterial contamination.
Laboratory testing samples collected from St. George indicate no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved.