SEVIER COUNTY – Several residents living atop English Mountain in Sevier County say they have been without water for nearly a week after a series of water line breaks disrupted their water supply last Thursday.. SEVIER COUNTY – Several residents living atop English Mountain in Sevier County say they have been without water for nearly a week after a series of water line breaks disrupted their water supply last Thursday.
Jerry Hayes counts himself lucky.
Still, he said his water access is insufficient for daily hygiene.
"You can’t take a shower, you can’t wash your clothes.
“Where they normally spend the whole summer with us, they’re leaving because they have been out of water for about seven days now.” On Wednesday afternoon, the East Sevier County Utility District issued a boil advisory to urge all of its customers, including those with water access, to boil their water.
RELATED: Boil advisory issued for English Mountain residents "Due to water outages, we have reason to suspect that the water distributed to the customers of the East Sevier County Utility District may be contaminated," the advisory said.
She said the company has had maintenance issues with its water system before, but those problems had mostly subsided in the last few years – until crews discovered a large water line break on Friday.
The East Sevier County Utility District services 258 customers, charging a minimum rate of $97.25 per month.
Those lines were first installed in 1972, but she said replacing them entirely could cost millions the company cannot afford.
He is among many residents collecting signatures for a petition to request that another utility company, either in Sevier or Cocke counties, take over their water service.

Panel: Dakota Access-style protests could become commonplace.
Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – Well-funded and organized protests like the one involving the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline may become commonplace, officials said Wednesday as they urged the industry to prepare for such activity.
Stevens called such protests the "new normal" and the "new cost of doing business."
He said pipelines will be targeted by those wanting to stop the use of fossil fuels, by attempting to "kill the heart by cutting the veins."
"It is important for us to engage the opposition … and provide context to the overall debate," Stevens said.
But a judge has ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to do more study on its impact on the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which believes the pipeline threatens sacred sites and the Missouri River that provides drinking water for millions of people.
Texas-based developer Energy Transfer Partners maintains it’s safe.
Troy Eid, a former U.S. attorney in Colorado who specializes in Native American law, said tribal consultation is key in building such projects and something the industry must take "much more seriously."
Companies can save money in the long run by doing more work with tribes "on the front end," he said.
One-fifth of all oil production comes from in and around American Indian reservations, Eid said.

Most experts in geopolitics predict that the next big conflicts on the planet will be over water.
The problem is that water use has been growing at twice the rate of population increase.
Scheduled for completion this year is the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile about 15kms from the Sudanese border.
Egypt, with a population of 95 million people, is almost totally dependent on the Nile for its water.
The long term impact on Egypt is hard to assess but the evaporation and transpiration rate from inevitable weed growth in the reservoir will reduce the water flow to Egypt.
Egypt has refused to sign any water-sharing agreement.
The IIisu Dam is one of 22 dams in the South East Anatolia Project aimed at harnessing the power of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to provide hydroelectric power for Turkey.
In recent years these rivers have been receding and there is concern that damming the Tigris upstream will only exacerbate Iraq’s problems.
Over the years China has been commissioning a series of dams along its section of the river.
It is hard to see why New Zealand should give its precious potable water away – after all, no oil-rich country is foolish enough to give its oil away.

Don’t forget to check water quality, consumption.
If there are more than three pigs in line at a water source during an active period, water is limiting.
In addition to water availability, water quality should also be assessed.
Issues can be diagnosed via sight, smell and pig observation.
Water is an important nutrient and often an overlooked tool in swine production.
Acid-Pak 4-Way is a great tool that producers can use in weaned pigs, pigs that are stressed, or health-challenged pigs to help increase water intake and, subsequently, feed intake.
Acid-Pak 4-Way is an inexpensive way to increase water intake and improve pig health for only $0.01 per pig per day.
Remember pigs must have access to clean, fresh water for any water product to be effective.
As you head out for your next barn walk-through be sure to add water on your list of things to observe and check-out.
For more information regarding water in your swine operation, check out the Water Quality section of the Hubbard Grow-Finish Management guide located on HubbardFeeds.com under Swine/Tips and Tools.

Dakota Access-style protests may happen often, panel tells pipeline companies.
Stevens called such protests the "new normal" and the "new cost of doing business."
He said pipelines will be targeted by those wanting to stop the use of fossil fuels, by attempting to "kill the heart by cutting the veins."
Stevens said the oil industry must battle what he called misinformation about pipeline projects while touting benefits, such as jobs.
"It is important for us to engage the opposition … and provide context to the overall debate," Stevens said.
But a judge has ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to do more study on its impact on the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which believes the pipeline threatens sacred sites and the Missouri River that provides drinking water for millions of people.
Texas-based developer Energy Transfer Partners maintains it’s safe.
Troy Eid, a former U.S. attorney in Colorado who specializes in Native American law, said tribal consultation is key in building such projects and something the industry must take "much more seriously."
Companies can save money in the long run by doing more work with tribes "on the front end," he said.
-By JAMES MacPHERSON / Associated Press

Pueblo Viejo & Conejo Creek get new water system.
By BBN Staff: The Government of Belize is ensuring that the men, women and children of Pueblo Viejo and Conejo Creek in southern Belize have access to the supply of safe water to meet their daily needs such as cooking, drinking, bathing and washing.
The new solar energy water systems will be officially inaugurated by Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce, Erwin Contreras; and Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Hugo Patt at 10:00 am at the pump-house in Pueblo Viejo and 2:00 pm at the pump-house in Conejo Creek on Thursday, July 20, 2017.
Government says that completion of the water systems also demonstrates government’s unwavering commitment to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, building on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as it relates to water; which is to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.
The water tank was constructed at the highest point in the village, thus water will be gravity fed to villagers.
SIF in recognition of effective maintenance and sustainability of the water systems for present and future generations, trained members of both Pueblo Viejo and Conejo Water Boards and Village Councils on how to manage and operate the solar energy water systems, water chlorination, and meters repairs coupled with basic accounting facilitated by the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development.
Other officials at the respective inaugurations will include Chairman of Pueblo Viejo, Pedro Tush, Chairman of Conejo Creek, Estevan Coy, and Executive Director of Belize Social Investment Fund, William Lamb Jr, and his technical team as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development among others.
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Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media.
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Pueblo Viejo & Conejo Creek get new water system.
By BBN Staff: The Government of Belize is ensuring that the men, women and children of Pueblo Viejo and Conejo Creek in southern Belize have access to the supply of safe water to meet their daily needs such as cooking, drinking, bathing and washing.
The new solar energy water systems will be officially inaugurated by Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce, Erwin Contreras; and Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development, Hugo Patt at 10:00 am at the pump-house in Pueblo Viejo and 2:00 pm at the pump-house in Conejo Creek on Thursday, July 20, 2017.
Government says that completion of the water systems also demonstrates government’s unwavering commitment to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, building on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as it relates to water; which is to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.
The water tank was constructed at the highest point in the village, thus water will be gravity fed to villagers.
SIF in recognition of effective maintenance and sustainability of the water systems for present and future generations, trained members of both Pueblo Viejo and Conejo Water Boards and Village Councils on how to manage and operate the solar energy water systems, water chlorination, and meters repairs coupled with basic accounting facilitated by the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development.
Other officials at the respective inaugurations will include Chairman of Pueblo Viejo, Pedro Tush, Chairman of Conejo Creek, Estevan Coy, and Executive Director of Belize Social Investment Fund, William Lamb Jr, and his technical team as well as representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development among others.
This article is the copyrighted property of Breaking Belize News.
Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media.
REPRINTING CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.

Shared toilets as the path to health and dignity.
With the land subject to monsoon flooding, and no municipal services to speak of, the people of Mollar Basti have been struggling with a very real problem: what to do with an enormous and growing amount of human faeces.
With neither the space nor money for a toilet for each household, these well-cared-for latrines have provided an effective solution on the way to good sanitation for everyone.
But we fear these kinds of community latrines are under threat from dwindling investment, as governments and city planners focus efforts on neighbourhoods and populations that are easier to reach.
How to effectively provide sanitation in fast-growing slums and informal settlements is a growing problem worldwide.
Given this urgent need – and given that 369 million urbanites already depend upon shared latrines of varying quality as their only option – we are calling on governments, donors and development partners to agree on criteria for acceptable shared latrines, to prioritise investment in new ones, and to improve those that already exist, as the essential stepping stone to better public health and prosperity for those living in poverty.
The economic returns and public health gains felt from these interim solutions for the world’s ‘bottom billion’ who are currently without sanitation will be far greater than delivering gold-standard service to a few, most of whom already have another, if less than perfect, option.
Decent shared toilets, along with the provision of clean water and good hygiene practices, provide dignity, create healthier, more productive communities, improve children’s attendance at school, and ultimately improve economic growth.
An estimated 289,000 children under five die around the world each year – that is one child every two minutes – from preventable diarrhoeal illnesses linked to dirty water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene.
We are asking governments, planners and donors in today’s equally ambitious and fast-growing developing cities to borrow a page from that history book: recognising that where private toilets aren’t yet an option, well-managed shared sanitation can set cities up for further progress.

Lead has been detected in more than half of the water fountains and sinks in 47 school districts tested in Bergen County, according to a report by Environment New Jersey, an advocacy group.
Report: Lead in 55 percent of water fountains and taps in Bergen school districts Legislation: Booker, Gottheimer pitch grant program to get lead out of school water Editorial: Get the lead out of water As the Flint crisis unfolded, several stories in The Record pointed to lead problems in many of the state’s urban school districts, including Paterson, where the aging water infrastructure, like much else in the city, needs an upgrade.
The Trenton-based group contacted 70 school districts in Bergen County for the information, but was provided complete testing results from only 47 districts.
Replacing those pipes, though, is expensive and there is no Marshall Plan in place to fix them, because the state does not have that kind of money lying around.
Meantime, it is encouraging that some individual districts are charging ahead with testing and remediation.
In a June letter to parents, Cliffside Park Superintendent Michael Romagnino said filters were being placed on some water lines, and sinks that had high readings were removed.
This sort of proactive approach is the right one.
The state requires all districts to conduct follow-up water testing at least every six years, and to make those results available to parents if elevated lead levels are found.
Ideally, districts should make those tests every year, or every other year.
When it comes to lead contamination in a school’s water supply, nothing is more important than students’ health.

Leveraging ICT for digital dividend.
But ‘digital dividend’, the comprehensive development benefits from utilising and capitalising information and communication technologies (ICT, are not still in place.
But then the vital question arises as to whether huge investment in ICT sector has really produced more growth and services in developing countries like Bangladesh.
For digital technologies to benefit all people everywhere we require closing the remaining digital divide, especially in internet access as well as in internet penetration.
Furthermore, today’s internet-backed modern economy is apparently engendering market monopolies for firms, killing competitiveness of business.
Not surprisingly, the most educated, well-connected and more powerful people who are in a good liaison with government, have ultimately benefited from digital technologies in the form of digital dividend, making it unreachable for ordinary as well as marginal citizens in the country.
‘Digital dividend’ — growth, jobs and services as a whole, has been the key return of digital investment which integrates technologies, productive businesses, creation of new job opportunities, and better public services.
Digital technologies help today’s business managers to better supervise their subordinate workers through e-HRM, and workers to use technology to become more productively interactive, thus raising the yields to their human capital.
Scale and zero marginal costs also explain why many of the social network sites have become the preferred channels for information dissemination, social mobilisation and political protests.
In Bangladesh, ICT-based digital knowledge development strategies need to be comprehensive and inclusive with the formulation of a proper national digital policy.