DEP Rep: City Water Safe

For some on Port St. Joe’s water what comes out of the tap may have a reddish hue but it is perfectly safe.

That from John Pope with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Pensacola office, who told city commissioners last week that while the color of the water may not have been aesthetically pleasing since the move to a surface water source, but tests demonstrate the water is safe.

Results from additional testing, what the state calls the “copper and lead” test, will determine how much more of the polyphosphates, or corrosion inhibitors, plant operators will need to use in the future.

The corrosion inhibitors, which act to provide a thin layer between the more corrosive surface water and pipe, also effectively scour pipes, loosening of old rust, resulting in the discoloration, very common in systems that have older infrastructure, such as Port St. Joe and Gulf County.

The corrosion inhibitor also helps control any leeching of copper and lead into homes.

 “Surface water is very different from a well system,” Pope noted. “Without proper flushing and maintenance corrosion can be very problematic.”

Pope added that the city’s new plant is a state-of-the-art facility operated by competent and knowledgeable staff.

And in response to questioning from Commissioner Greg Johnson Pope noted that the city would be going through the same process of flushing and treating for corrosion seen in recent months as part of upkeep of any plant, new or not.

“We would be going through the same situation whether we had a new water plant or not?” Johnson asked.

Pope replied in the affirmative, saying even the city had not built the $21 million plant the same treatment course would be required.

He said the “lead and copper” test goes beyond the meter and tests close to taps and would indicate to what extent the city would need to continue the treatment with polyphosphates.

Additional treatment could cause further problems with discoloration, but that was an unknown Pope said.

Pope noted that complaints were down and the incidence of noticeable discoloration was also well down.

“The initial red water you saw, that will probably be the worst of it,” Pope said. “The water is definitely not unhealthy. The red you see is an aesthetics problem; it is not a health issue.

“It is just part of what the city is going through with this state-of-the-art facility.”

A key for continued maintenance Pope noted goes beyond flushing because flushing can tend to push all the dirty water out of one area and into another.

City staff needs to continue to identify and maintain valves control certain areas of the system and continue other steps to uphold the integrity of the entire water supply system.

“The Florida Water Association will assist the city in a unidirectional flushing program,” Pope said.

Overall, he concluded, the city was on the right track and properly dealing with the issues of switching from well to surface water with a new plant.

“It is all part of the water system,” Pope said. “All communities have problems with water quality from time to time. That is the nature of water systems.”

Signs, Signs

Commissioners unanimously approved allowing George Duren, owner of the Port Shopping Center, the Piggly Wiggly and several other businesses in the center, to replace his current sign with a changeable message electronic sign.

Duren had requested the permission to erect the sign to allow him to better promote businesses in the center and the reduce manpower costs in renewing the message on the sign.

However, the city’s ordinance on signs, passed roughly one year ago, does not allow changeable message signs.

At least until last Tuesday, when commissioners voted to remove that section of the ordinance – a ban on signs with messages that change more frequently than every six hours – to allow Duren permission to erect the sign.

But that action followed extensive discussion on the proposed sign and the ordinance.

Following a workshop prior to the meeting, commissioners agreed that the sign ordinance needed an overhaul, despite the work devoted to crafting the document.

The ordinance is not being enforced. Several signs in the downtown area are already out of compliance and Port St. Joe Redevelopment Agency executive director Matt Fleck labeled some areas examples of “sign pollution.”

Commissioner Rex Buzzett called the ordinance “too restrictive” and several commissioners agreed that the ordinance was so restrictive as to be all but unenforceable.

Rather than tackle the ordinance en mass, commissioners stuck with the Port Center sign with the idea of following up with a workshop on the ordinance likely this week or next.

Board attorney Tom Gibson said Duren’s proposed sign would not be entitled to a variance under the four-pronged criteria for such a carve out, and pressed by several commissioners suggested the quickest fix was either a promise from Duren not to change the message more often than six hours or striking the provision on changeable signs.

Commissioners chose the latter.

But not without a word of caution from resident and business owner Lorinda Gingell.

“I don’t want it to be as we go down (U.S.) 98 we have this distraction from all these carnival signs,” she said. “If we take that out of the sign ordinance I have a concern about keeping the corridor safe and attractive.”

Building Inspector

Commissioners narrowly approved a contract through the current fiscal year to continue building inspection services through a company owned by Bo Creel.

The 3-2 decision (John Reeves and Charles Stephens voting no) came after a discussion among commissioners about returning to the county for its building inspection services. Creel has had the contract, or at least performed the services for the city the past two years.

But Creel has been working without a signed contract and while acknowledging there were issues of concern, Johnson moved to approve the contract.

“My motion would allow us time to work through the issues,” he said. “I have concerns about what we won’t have if we do not approve this contract.”

Reeves voiced strong opposition, noting that the city would be providing office space and other amenities to Creel’s company, though Creel noted that he was paying the city 18 percent of all fees for services in the city while the county paid the city 15 percent.

Creel also noted the services provided to the Planning and Development Review Board (PDRB) and fire safety work that helps on insurance costs for residents.

But Reeves and Stephens saw in the contract a duplication of services they could get from the county, in a difficult economic time.

“I think we would save money, give it to the county,” Stephens said. “County commissioners have indicated they would work with the city to save taxpayer money.”

Johnson was unmoved.

“Show me where we are saving money,” he said. “Given the recent fiasco with the county (regarding road bond funding and other issues) I am not in the frame of mind to sign a darned thing with them.”

Other business

City manager Charlie Weston told commissioners he hopes to have a joint agreement worked out with the Norris D. Langston Youth Foundation to man the Washington High Gym for extended hours on weekdays. As a budgetary move, commissioners eliminated a part-time position that allowed the city to keep the gym open until 7 p.m. or later. The gym now closes at 5 p.m.

Commissioners unanimously moved to proceed with advertising the expansion of the Port St. Joe Redevelopment Agency to include the area known as North Port St. Joe. Advertisement and public hearings are the final steps to expansion.

Commissioners also expressed approval, pending more details on a lease agreement with the redevelopment agency, for a deal in which the redevelopment agency would purchase four lots near U.S. 98 and Fourth Street and lease the lots back to the city for downtown parking.