Water contaminated with fluoride and arsenic

"It's kind of outrageous I think. Cause we're paying higher food cost higher everything, now we're having to pay for water," asid Terry Hazen, a 3-year-resident.

Terry will be paying an extra 50-dollars a month for his water utility as early as next year.

"When it comes to paying for a major project, that project can't be spread across a lot of people," explained Newdale Councilman Chad Stevens.

But action has to be taken soon, because Newdale is violating the EPA's allowed levels of fluoride and arsenic in the city's drinking water. Arsenic is a chemical commonly found in paint, pesticides and weed killer, and although fluoride can help your teeth, if either chemical is consumed in high amounts over a lifte-time, it can lead to cancer, skin conditions, bone disease, and other health issues.

Stevens argued, "As far as health concern, we don't see the pressing issue. We have a lot of citizens in their 70's 80's 90's."

Willie Teuscher with the The department of Environmental Quality declined to comment on camera, but told me "newdale has to pay for the price of drinking water, we gave them our best offer... Forgiving half of the $1.2 million dollar loan."

The city doesn't want to increase the cost of water, but the DEQ is forcing Newdale to go forward under a consent order. And although the city is still looking into digging a new well with colder water.

"The arsenic and fluoride seem to be more prevalent in warm water," believes Stevens.

They have to move fast or risk losing stimulus funds.

"It pains us we have to raise the rates," said Stevens.

For a town with less than 400 in population, the $600,000 its going to cost to fix the water problem is going to affect everybody's pocket books.

The city hasn't made any official decision yet, but if they want to get a chunk of the stimulus funds to fix the water contamination, they'll have to make a decision soon.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• fluoride
• arsenic
• contamination
• newdale
• idaho
• steven
• pope
• DEQ