Deerfield-News-Deerfield Beach,Fl-In August we became aware of a severe rust problem and other issues with our water treatment plant. So we asked about a rust problem. Seems by August we were for the first time in 12 quarters in compliance with meeting the minimum Federal guidelines.
Our leaders the Mayor and City Commission and our City Manager have failed us and lied to us. The lies were made to us directly and through their spokesperson and then they manipulated a local newspaper into not reviewing any reports which disclosed the truth of the situation and saying “Drink Up The Water Is Fine”
This should not even be a news story the city has Millions of dollars in reserves and could have and should have maintained the plant when the deficiencies and defects happened.Remember the boil water order and bathing in and drinking fecal matter was just a few months ago.
Water I mean clean and safe drinking water, in the scope of things seems not to be a high priority for our city.
I understand my question may have been only asking about a “rust problem”,but the city knowingly painted a picture that everything is and was fine. That is not factual.The city went as far as to tell The Pelican publish this.The Pelican who seems to question nothing and accept the cities version as factual.I am not sure if the city of Deerfield Beach was referring to this blog .I did write them and put them on notice to be careful what city employees say, that would be slanderous if they were referring to our posts about the water we stand by everything we wrote.The city of Deerfield Beach has serious problems with our water plant.The pictures they released to us,and then wanted us not to publish should send shivers down your spine.Then they want us to now believe we the citizens of Deerfield Beach who have a right to have a third party come and see what is really going on,want to invoke the Patriot Act.
Just take a look at the proposed expenditures and how they went from 6 million to 14.6 million since we broke this story.Look at the timeline and the sudden changes in Millions of dollars.You think that is a coincidence, no chance they knew.From our Environmental Services Director to our,Director of Public Affairs and Marketing,the City Manager,Mayor and The Commissioners all have some explaining to do! Our water supply is as serious subject semantics and anything less than the truth is unacceptable.
Director of Public Affairs & Marketing
Look at the timelineThe pictures from Department of Health State of Florida do not show everything our sources have shown us.This city for over 3 years knew we had and have a water treatment plant that was out of compliance and has carcinogenic material in it.
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I have reached out via email asking for access as well the Facebook group Deerfield Beach Politics and city activist John Grassi has.
The city of Deerfield Beach and the State of Florida’s legal counsels emails are below.
Twelve quarters of violations,where was our city manager and our commissioners.The city manager is responsible for our drinking water and the running of our water treatment plant.Mr.Hanson the results of our water tests and condition of our plant should not be kept a secret from the citizens.The request I saw made by Deerfield Beach Politics for a citizen inspection was answered by Mayor Ganz on Facebook.That is also posted below.To restrict access hiding behind the Patriot Act is BS! Access is granted to employees as well as others including vendors and their employees.The same way the Mayor gave his review and vouched for Burgess Hanson at a commission meeting on tape and video. I will vouch for Grassi and Bob Norman from WPLG and Erin Brockovich because that is who needs to get involved so we can get to the bottom of nothing is wrong here.
Mayors Denial of access to Mr.Grassi-
This is my reply from Mayor Bill Ganz’s Facebook Page:
The request to tour with a group for inspecting cannot be accommodated due to Homeland Security concerns. Homeland Security has exempted sensitive infrastructure from open public review. The Water Plant is deemed a sensitive infrastructure by Homeland Security and out first priority has to be the security of this resource that affects all of our residents. That said, you are welcome to visit with our Environmental Services Director who can answer any questions you might have. Have a great weekend Mr. Grassi.
What are they hiding there is no security risk allowing citizens and journalists into the same areas as city employees, vendors and vendors employees are in and out of routinely? Mayor do all of these people have some sort of special security clearance from Homeland Security?
Source-EWG.org
Water utility compliance with legally mandated federal standards
- From April 2014 to March 2017 this water utility was in violation of health-based drinking water standards:
NO
- From April 2014 to March 2017 this water utility was in violation of monitoring for contaminants or reporting monitoring tests to state agencies as required by the Safe Drinking Water Act:
YES
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12 QUARTERS
in violation of any federal drinking water standard from April 2014 to March 2017
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- Information in this section comes from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online database. Click here for more information for this utility.
Subject: Deerfield Beach water treatment Plant Rust Problem
From: <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, August 07, 2017 7:35 am
To: “Heather Montemayor” <[email protected]>
Here is the city of Deerfield Beach’s response-——- Original Message ——–
Subject: Re: [FWD: City of Deerfield Beach Rust Problem at Water
Treatment Plant]
From: Rebecca Medina <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, August 08, 2017 10:10 am
To: “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
Howard,
The City of Deerfield Beach is in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards and safe for consumption.
Rebecca Medina Stewart
Director of Public Affairs & Marketing
150 NE 2nd Avenue
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
954.480.4430/ 4232
Now when we request from the State of Florida Department of Health we received a report of our plants deficiencies and pictures shoing rust. The State of Florida then has their attorney ask us not to publish the pictures they sent to us.
——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Important: Public Records Request
From: “Eichner, Paul D” <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, August 15, 2017 8:47 am
To: “‘[email protected]‘” <[email protected]>
Dear Mr. Levy:
The Department of Health responded to your public records request yesterday. Your request specifically sought information regarding possible water system corrosion and rust. In our response, reference was made to certain photographs not being released pursuant to exemptions as permitted by law under the Florida Statutes. As a practical matter, the pictures were inadvertently released. Those photos are exempt from public disclosure pursuant to §119.07 and §119.071 (3)(b)1. and 2. I understand that six of the pictures were posted on your website. We would ask that you respect the intent behind the law. We request that you please remove the published pictures that have been posted as soon as possible and refrain from further dissemination of those images.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and cooperation.
Regards,
Paul D. Eichner, Chief Legal Counsel
Office of General Counsel
Florida Department of Health-Broward County
780 SW 24th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
(954)467-4700 ext. 4103
MISSION STATEMENT: TO PROTECT, PROMOTE & IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF ALL PEOPLE IN FLORIDA THROUGH INTEGRATED STATE, COUNTY & COMMUNITY EFFORTS.
Vision: Healthiest State in the NationEWG.org’s e
Values: (ICARE)
Let us look at the timeline.In August it appears for the first time in 12 quarters the city was in compliancej ust take a look at EWG’s report on the City of Deerfield Beach.
City of Deerfield Beach
EWG’s drinking water quality report shows results of tests conducted by the water utility and provided to the Environmental Working Group by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, as well as information from the U.S. EPA Enforcement and Compliance History database (ECHO). For the latest quarter assessed by the EPA (April 2014 to March 2017), tap water provided by this water utility was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
Includes chemicals detected in 2015 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; chemicals detected under the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3) program in 2013 to 2015, for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.
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Chromium (hexavalent)
cancer✕
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Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
cancer✕
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Pollution sources
Click on each pollution source to see from which source contaminants come.
sprawl
occuring
Other contaminants tested
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