People have been dealing with unaffordable water and incorrect water bills for years, and now the Mayor might be looking to privatize the water system.
It’s when private corporations take control over public water utilities.
Water corporations often advertise themselves as a “solution” to municipal budget problems and aging water systems, but in reality, post-privatization, most communities face HIGHER water rates, WORSE service, and FEWER jobs.
When private companies come in to operate a water or sewer system, there is one main motivation: profit.
And most importantly, Suez would set the water rates.
In Baltimore, Suez hired a distinctly named lobbyist, American Joe Miedusiewski, to help make its pitch.
Corporations should know that convincing a city wrought with water affordability issues to privatize is not going to be easy.
If given to Suez, the “solutions” proposed could certainly include the long-term lease of the entire system.
Bayonne signed a 40-year concession lease with Suez in 2012.
When water corporations come in, they come in to profit.

Even as auditors have spotted some major waste issues in Baltimore’s drinking water system, the city has some good news: The Department of Public Works’ latest annual report says the city still has very high-quality drinking water.
Published today, the Annual Water Quality Report includes data for microbiological contaminants, water clarity, arsenic, fluoride, chloride, radioactive contaminants and more at the city’s water filtration plants.
Only two violations were found in the category of trihalomethanes, byproducts from the use of chlorine in the disinfection process, at the Ashburton and Montebello plants.
Federal guidelines peg the maximum contaminant level allowed for trihalomethanes at 80 parts per billion (ppb); Ashburton recorded its highest level at 94 ppb, and Montebello recorded an instance of 83 ppb.
However, the former averaged 48 ppb and the latter 52 ppb, well below the federal maximum.
The report mentions “by-product of drinking water chlorination” as the contamination source for those instances.
Such contaminants aren’t known to make people immediately ill, though research has indicated that over time they can cause cancer.
Otherwise, as with past years, the report characterizes the quality of the city’s drinking water as “excellent.” “We have among the best and safest drinking water in the country,” Kurt Kocher, a spokesman for DPW, wrote in an email.
In a release, DPW Director Rudy Chow touted the extensive testing process used for the water system: “DPW’s team of dedicated professionals work[s] around-the-clock to perform nearly 150,000 water quality analyses each year to ensure that we deliver high-quality water to our customers.” For all of its infrastructural woes, the city has been able to champion its high-quality drinking water in recent years, even getting a nod from one magazine as having the 10th best drinking water in the country.
This story has been updated.

The City of Kirksville has issued a 48-hour boil advisory for citizens who live on several Kirksville streets.
The advisory was issued for people who live on: Baltimore Street, between Normal and Alexander; Park Avenue, between Baltimore and Ely; and Highland Street, between Baltimore and Ely.
The advisory is scheduled to end at 10:30 a.m. on Friday.

When we toss down the road salt that’s ubiquitous with icy, snowy winters in the North, the salt doesn’t just disappear after it clears up the roads and sidewalks. In fact, it’s starting to get into drinking water in places across the Midwest and New England — posing an emerging threat to water supplies and a health risk for people on sodium-restricted diets or with high blood pressure. “The salt doesn’t just evaporate, it doesn’t break down. Once it’s applied in the environment, it’s got nowhere to go. It goes into the soil, or it goes into the lakes. It doesn’t just disappear,” said Joe Grande, the water-quality manager in Madison, Wis. • Road salt is polluting our water: Here’s what we can do to fix it Madison is one of the more notable cases of drinking water contamination by sodium chloride. Other instances have been reported in places like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey — including one extreme case in the city of Brick, chlorides damaged lead water pipes, causing the toxic metal to leach into drinking water. Most people start tasting salt in water once it reaches concentrations of 250 milligrams per liter. Even before that point, though, water can start to taste off. Off-tasting water, and no good way off salt Faith Fitzpatrick lives in Madison’s Spring Harbor neighborhood. Her well has been among the hardest hit by road salt pollution. Some of her neighbors with low-salt diets have installed filtering systems in their homes….

The Maryland Department of the Environment thanks Governor Hogan for his leadership as the new head of the six-state Chesapeake Bay Program and his support for local investments to protect a national treasure,” said Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles.
“Providing nearly $100 million to upgrade key sewage treatment plants, septic systems, drinking water systems and clean energy projects will help us to green and grow the state’s economy and lead in the race to protect and restore Chesapeake Bay watersheds.” The following projects were approved today: Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhanced Nutrient Removal Upgrade project – Baltimore City, Baltimore County A $46,219,057 Bay Restoration Fund grant to Baltimore City will help fund the planning, design and construction of Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) and Enhanced Nutrient Removal (ENR) upgrades at the 180 million gallons per day Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
After the upgrades, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to Back River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Baltimore City multiple sewershed projects — Baltimore City Bay Restoration Fund grants totaling $16,999,258 to Baltimore City will help fund a continuation of Baltimore City’s efforts to prevent sanitary sewer overflows as required by a consent decree initiated by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
After the upgrade, the facility will reduce its nitrogen discharge by 83 percent and its phosphorus discharge by 90 percent, significantly reducing the amount of nutrients discharged to the Sassafras River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Enhanced Nutrient Removal upgrades allow facilities to significantly reduce the amount of nutrients discharged to local waterways and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
Prince Albert/Sunnyside Water Project – Allegany County A $150,000 grant in the form of forgiveness of a Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund loan to Allegany County, along with a second $150,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund loan, will help fund the Prince Albert/Sunnyside Water Project.
The project includes the design and construction of waterlines, valves and fire hydrants to extend public water service from Allegany County’s Mt.
The project will provide clean, reliable drinking water and fire protection to the area.
Kent County Water Treatment Plant and Wastewater Treatment Plants Lighting Efficiency Upgrade project – Kent County A $129,720 Energy Water Infrastructure Program grant to Kent County will fund upgrades to lighting systems at four water treatment plants and three wastewater treatment plants.

BALTIMORE (WBFF) – The annual Water Quality Report for Baltimore City was released on Monday. Each year the report describes how the city’s water is treated, where it comes from, and whether it meets federal standards for tap water. According to the 2016 Water Quality Report, the city’s drinking water meets or exceeds federal standards. “The data represents the most recent testing done in accordance with the requirements of EPA’s Water Testing Regulations,” the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) stated in a release on Monday. Over the course of 2016 approximately 150,000 water quality analyses were conducted, testing for more than 90 different drinking water contaminants, DPW…

Drought warning issued for central Maryland; Eastern region under drought watch.
BALTIMORE (WBFF) – A drought warning was issued for central Maryland on Thursday, by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
After a drought warning is issued, the MDE increases oversight of water supply conditions and encourages citizens and businesses to use less water.
Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard and Montgomery counties are covered by the warning, except for areas served by the Baltimore City or Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission public water systems.
Brush fires broke out in several counties under the drought warning Thursday, amid dry and windy conditions.
"Water conservation and efficiency are always smart especially during extended periods of reduced rainfall," said Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles.
According to the MDE, central region rainfall since Sept. 30, 2016, is on average 6.5 inches below normal, or about 61% of normal.
Rainfall in the Eastern region since Sept. 30, 2016, is on average 4.7 inches below normal, or about 71% of normal, MDE said.
While under the drought warning, conditions in the affected jurisdictions will be evaluated weekly.
In assessing and issuing warnings on drought conditions, the state uses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ definition of drought: "periods of time when natural or managed water systems do not provide enough water to meet established human and environmental uses because of natural shortfalls in precipitation or stream flow."

After a warm, dry February in Baltimore & D.C. areas, drought persists.
In the first week of March, only about a half-inch of precipitation accumulated while slightly heavier rains only fell around the Cumberland region, which was already relatively wet.
A severe drought is impacting all or part of D.C., Montgomery County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County and Prince William County.
A moderate drought is affecting areas in Frederick County, Carroll County, Baltimore City and County, Harford County, Calvert County, Charles County and Saint Mary’s County.
As a result, the Department of the Environment has activated a drought watch in the area.
“Virtually all real-time groundwater monitoring wells are below normal for this time of year, with a few at their lowest levels for this time of year in the last ten years,” the NWS reports.
The warm, dry weather the area saw in February created an early Spring effect, with trees and flowers budding weeks in advance.
In the past 30 days, precipitation has been “just 25-50 percent of normal in the drought-designated areas, and below normal everywhere but the Cumberland, Maryland area.
The good news is that this could change with several chances for rain – and even snowfall – on March 7, and the weekend of March 11th, respectively, and again on March 14.
All in all, drought conditions will likely carry through in March but, the NWS says, “improvement is possible later in the spring.” Time Period DC Baltimore Dulles —————————————————————— Year-to-Date : 6th driest 12th driest 6th driest Last 3 Months (12/6 – 3/5): 13th driest 14th driest 7th driest Last 6 Months (9/6 – 3/5) : 3rd driest 10th driest 2nd driest Last 12 Months (3/6 – 3/5): 7th driest 13th driest 3rd driest