Lightning and sewage?

It was not that long ago that grave concern was expressed about terrorists having WMDs, such as chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons. It seems our concern was misdirected. The weapon of mass destruction that terrorists have been developing is the ability to create lightning strikes.

Wait, do not write me off as someone off my rocker and I will further explain.

The mayor and council of Killen want to enter into a contract with Alabama Utility Services to provide a sewer system for Killen and eastern Lauderdale County. The discharge point would be Mill Creek. Citizens near this proposed facility are concerned about the discharge of untreated sewage as well as the long term impact of treated waste water discharge. At the Killen Town Council meeting on Dec. 10, Teresa Lucas, of Alabama Utility Services, stated to those present, and as reported in this newspaper, that it would take an act of terrorism for raw sewage to be discharged into Mill Creek. On Nov. 26, the Associated Press reported that an undetermined amount of raw sewage was discharged by the Blackwater Waste Treatment Facility into Blackwater Creek after a lightning strike on a lift pump. Residents are warned not to swim in this creek, and any fish caught there should be thoroughly washed before cooking. This is because Blackwater Creek is now contaminated with, among many forms of bacteria, the E-Coli bacteria.

Blackwater Waste Treatment Facility is owned and operated by Alabama Utility Services, the same company that wants to operate a waste water treatment facility here that will discharge into Mill Creek.

Since terrorists now control lightning, do we need a facility that will discharge treated and untreated waste water into such a small creek? I hope our counter-terrorism units are working around the clock to stop terrorists from using lightning against our nation.

Randall Burbank

Killen