Setting the record straight

Randall Burbank wrote a letter to the editor of this paper, making a serious accusation against Alabama Utility Services, the company that is negotiating with the city of Killen to provide sewer services to the community.

Let's look at the accusation made by Mr. Burbank and the actual facts.

Mr. Burbank wrote:

"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." He also wrote: "… 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 facts:

After searching the archives at the Associated Press Web site, ap.org, we can find no evidence of any article, all the way back to 2004, with the words Blackwater Creek, Blackwater Waste Treatment Facility, lightning strike on a lift pump, or any combination of these words.

There was, however, a report on al.com from the Mobile Press Register about a sewage spill in Blackwater Creek in Loxley. It did not mention ownership of the lift station that failed. Alabama Ulility Services does not own or operate a wastewater treatment lift pump in Loxley!

Furthermore, AUS is in the process of constructing the Blackwater Wastewater Treatment Facility in Baldwin County and no sewage, either treated or untreated, has ever been received at this facility, therefore no sewage could have been discharged from this facility.

The Blackwater facility is in the watershed of the Blackwater River, not Blackwater Creek as referred to in Mr. Burbank's letter, and no pump station is planned on this river.

AUS has taken over facilities that were polluting the waterways and immediately made upgrades to stop the pollution. AUS brought a solution to pollution at Donaldson Correctional Facility. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Alabama Attorney General, the Alabama Department of Corrections and the Warrior River Keepers worked out an agreement with AUS. After years of non-compliance, AUS was able to make corrections and bring this facility in compliance within 30 days. We also operate facilities at Red Eagle Honor Farm and Farquhar Cattle Ranch for the DOC, which were in non-compliance until AUS took over their operations.

We are a company that believes in honest dealings with the communities with which we work, and we expect the same in return. False accusations, presented as facts, are not dealing in an honest manner. Thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight.

Chris Matthews

Manager

Alabama Utility Services, LLC