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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The Salisbury WWTP Had ANOTHER Spill!


Barrie Tilghman has figured out the perfect way to resolve releasing critical information without having to actually be accountable.

Last night Public Works Director Jim Caldwell announced yet ANOTHER sewage spill at the Salisbury WWTP. This was done in the beginning of the meeting while Public Comment isn't allowed till the end of the meeting, hours later.

I want to explain something to ALL of you, including Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen. I am one of the very few people that know the WWTP like the back of my hand and I'd like to explain something to ALL of you.

Where they are doing this construction, IMO, it is impossible to them to have a spill of 4 minutes, 10 minutes or whatever bullsh!t they want to give you and it find its way all the way to the River. I'll repeat, it's impossible for that to happen.

So I'm telling you, there are pipes heading to that River in which when and if they have a spill, I'd say they know what's about to happen and they discharge overflow into those pipes and they knowingly leak into the River.

IMO, this is not accidental. The photo above shows you just how far away the main part of the Plant is from the River and a 4 minute spill isn't going to go there. It's time for some NEW accountability and get them to explain how this is so possible.

I'll add, along the way to the river the are old sludge pits along the way. ANY overflow should hit those pits before they hit the River and that too isn't happening. The photo just above is one of those abandoned pits that is between the actual Plant and the River. If they had a spill, one would believe that spill would make its way into one of these pits. As a matter of fact, if I worked for the MDE, I'd make damn sure that's where everything actually went so there was some real accountability towards just how large the spill actually was.

Let's see if this raises any attention from the MDE and IF they're willing to consider such a plan? It sure it's a lot better to have it where you could recycle it and not ever and up in the River again. Then again, this makes too much sense and probably cost next to nothing to actually make happen. Remember, this pit has nothing in it and is still there today. No additional land is necessary and again, this is where everything should head anyway, before getting to the River. What say you now Mayor I Have No Accountability Tilghman?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

joe, help me out on this... so when they announce that there has been a spill, do they say that it has gone into the river?... and if so... how can they let this happen TWICE and not have some higher governmental agency all over them?... wouldn't they be if it was a buisness or private establishment?

Anonymous said...

Can we please do something to get these "good for absolutely nothing but furthering their own politic agendas" idiots out of office?

joe albero said...

anonymous 3:22,

Obviously you haven't been around the Blogs for very long and I mean that with no disrespect.

The spills have been going on multiple times a year. The City has been fined and punished and the taxpayers have had enough of it.

It's not just to financial end of it that bothers most, it's the pollution into the River and ultimately the Bay. This Mayor and Administration truly doesn't care.

I'll give you a perfect example. At the Zoo they were allowing human waste to back up into three of the exhibits in the Zoo. Because the MDE didn't physically see it when it happened, yet I reported it, because they didn't see it they couldn't fine them. However, being that they realized there was NO reverse valve in that particular area, they knew it had to be going on, yet they could only reply on when the last time it was reported, yet the City LIED.

Nevertheless, the City had to fix the problem and pay out a huge amount of money for a valve that should have been installed 50 years ago, yet they got away with it till I came along.

So in the end, they're laughing because they didn't get fined and they didn't have to spend the money to do the right thing for 50 years. The City will always WAIT till someone like me comes along and they are forced to do something about certain issues.

Anyhow, there have been many spills, several fines and no real accountability.

The way the MDE looks at it is, if they do something about it and make it right, that's OK with them. The way "I" see it is, it has to take a Citizen like me to FIND it, then report it and then something is done about it. Now, IF you wanted to try and follow up on the wrk I did at the WWTP, you'd have to do so by breaking the way and trespass. That's right, now there are signs everywhere telling you not to go there. Barrie has a way of screwing with everyone while Smith, Comegys and Shanie rubber stamp everything. Whatever Barrie wants, Barrie gets.

Anonymous said...

I have been boating/skiing on this river since I was 14. It is a shame that this governmental neglect has eliminated one of the few recreational options in this deadbeat town.

Anonymous said...

none taken joe... you're right, i haven't been here long... but i'm STAYING!!!

thanks joe for the reply and for this site... keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

The Mare doesn't say a thing, because MDE lets her get away with it.

Anonymous said...

They didnt say it went into the river at the meeting, if it over flowed at the filters it went on the ground there. They still have to report it, right? I understand what broke was part of the new installation.

Anonymous said...

JOE, THE CITY KEEPS PUTTING SEWAGE IN THE WICOMICO RIVER. SO THEY PUT A FLUSH TAX ON THE PUBLIC AND THEN BLAME THE FARMERS AND POULTRY FAMERS FOR THE RUN OFF WHAT A RIP OFF ELS, JOE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

Anonymous said...

The only thing that will ever get things right is if we have a really heavy rain followed by a huge sewage overflow at a very high tide and I hope it all floods the docks and Restaurant at Poo River Bar and flop house.

When the Hanna's are up to their ankles in shit inside their restaurant and they have to close it up, someone may finally listen.

Anonymous said...

This is terrible, just to think that my kids and there friends go tubing in these waters, and they are purposely putting them in harms way, makes me mad. Joe what can we do?

Anonymous said...

WTF? How can they let this happen twice? Its been ongoing for years. Obviously what the City has been fined is not more than what the cost would be to fix the problem. I too used to ski and fish in the Wicomico River as a youngster-not anymore. If you launch a boat from Salisbury, it comes out stained from the waste. I bet if the overflow pipes from the WWTP ran to Barrie's yard the problem would be fixed. Maybe next time I need to take a dump, I'll do it in her backyard!!!Watch her and all the other idiots in politics blame that on the farmers and recreational fishermen too.

Anonymous said...

Dam, You mean that wasn't a three pound bass I caught.

Anonymous said...

Great comment about Hanna's Poo River Bar.

And they want a marina to succeed here?

Not if they keep dumping SH*T into the river!!

Anonymous said...

This is getting ridiculous, two times in the last few months, and who knows how many other times go unannounced! Where are the penalties?? I reside near that river and grew up swimming, fishing and crabbing in it.Now it's ruined!! Thanks Salisbury!! Oh by the way , this river is tidal and eventually empties into the chesapeake bay!!

Anonymous said...

8:33, Twice?.....you mean twice a month!

Anonymous said...

So, How much $$$ are people going to be paying for these luxery condos with a view of a slum out one window and a view of a septic system out the other.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness this is not a nuclear power plant. I have never heard of any plant having so many spills. The mayor needs to give the public some explanation as to why this happens so often. It is unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

This has to be the worst managed project in any area. I think its really time to fine the contractor for these "spills"! If they're not at fault, then its time to fire some people on our payroll at that plant. So, lets get on it madam Mayor and your cohorts on the council!

A. Goetz

Anonymous said...

I think the truth is the spill was stopped 10 minutes from when they realized it was happening. That might have been 15 hours after it started. It boils down to inexperienced people being responsible for more than they know or understand. Just like the Johnsons Lake issue where they completely destroyed a "Famous Fishery" by opening the dam, then leaving and forgetting about it. Probably had a PBR moment.