ResponsetotheDirectorofPublicWorksTerminationofEngineering

GraduatesEffortstoBroadenAwarenessofLeadinDrinkingWater

WhenIbeganresearchingthesubjectofLeadinPotableWater,whichisthetitleofthe
researchpaperIhavebeenworkingonformygraduatecourse,ChemistryforEnvironmental
Engineers,IwantedtogetallofthefactsIcouldgatheraboutthesubjectandtopresenttomy
classaninformativesummarythatisrelevanttothecitizensofJacksonandmanyothercities
withinfrastructurethathasoutliveditsdesignlife.MypositionasEngineeringGraduateforthe
CityofJacksonDepartmentofPublicWorksassignedtoinspectwaterutilitiesaffordedmethe
opportunitytogainfirsthandknowledgeoftheconditionofsomeofthewaterlinesthroughout
thecity.AsixinchwaterlineremovedfromChurchStreetwaspiledinascrapheaponthe
constructionsiteawaitingdisposalbythecontractorwhoagreedtocutajointformetoseethe
conditionofaleadjointfromoneoftheselines.WhatIsawwasdisturbingacorrodedlead
jointwithfiberpackingsodeterioratedthatIthoughtsomeleachingfromthesejointswasquite
possible.
IaskedifIcouldpresentthejointtotheCityCouncilatameetingwhenthesubjectof
leadwastobeaddressed.Iwantedtoletpeopleseetheconditionofthejointtobringmore
awarenessofpossiblyseriousdangertopublichealth.AnEngineerinthedivisiondiscouraged
mefromdoingso.
Thehealth,safety,andwelfareofthepublicistheprimaryresponsibilityofprofessional
engineersaccordingtotheNationalSocietyofProfessionalEngineersCodeofEthics.The
NSPECodeofEthicsforEngineersstates,
Engineers,inthefulfillmentoftheirprofessional

duties,shall:
1. Holdparamountthesafety,health,andwelfareofthepublic.
AllofthepeopleItalkedtowhoworkedintheDepartmentofPublicWorks,atthe
watertreatmentfacilities,andattheCityswaterlabacknowledgedknowingthatthere
areleadjointsintheCityswaterdistributionsystem.TheCitymadeeffortstocaution
citizensaboutleadcontentinthewater.Theinformationattributedleadprimarilyto
householdplumbing.Thismuchistrue,butitisnotthewholetruth,anduntilthe
interviewwithDirectorKishiaPowellbyAnnaWolfe,everybodyIaskedsaidthatthe
Citydidnottestwatermains.Instead,theonlytestswerefromtaps.Intheinterview,
DirectorPowellstatedthattheCityisnowcollectingsamplesfromfirehydrantstotest
theleadcontentcontributedbytheCitysdistributionsystem.Thosetestresultshave,
tomyknowledge,notbeenprovided.

NoinformationIprovidedcontradictedinformationtheCityprovided.Itmerely
broughtgreaterattentiontoanissuethatdeservedattentionandresourcestoprotect
peoplefromdrinkingwatercontaminatedwithlead.RatherthanunderminingtheCityor
theengineeringprofession,Isharedinformationthatcouldhaveevokedwellfounded
concernratherthanfalseinformationorunfoundedfearsastheletteroftermination
theDirectorissuedtomealleged.TheletterfromDirectorPowellmakesdamaging
allegationsthatmyactionsunderminedtheCityseffortstoproperlyinformcitizensof
Jacksonaboutissuesconcerningleadindrinkingwater.TheDirectorsletterstates
that,TheseactionshavealsoplacedthereputationoftheDepartmentinafalselight
andthatmyactionsareinviolationoftheCityofJacksonsEmployeeHandbook,
Section11.2ImproperEmployeeConduct:
Section11.2.21ConductunbecomingtoemployeesoftheCity,eitherwhileonoroff
duty.
11.2.6Inefficiency,incompetence,carelessness,ornegligenceinperformanceof
duties.
MyeffortstoinformthepeopleoftheJacksonconsistedofprovidingapieceof
leadfromapipefromtheCitysdistributionsystemtoareportersothattheycould
witnessthedegreeofcorrosionandtheconditionofasectionofpipe.Incontrasttothe
Directorsassertionthattheexistenceofleadjointswaswidelyknown,everyoneI
haveshownanimageofthejointexpressedshockandgratitudethatIwasdrawing
attentiontotheissuebecausetheycanseethatthereisclearlyapressingneedfor
improvementsthattheCityhasstillnotmade.UntiltheCityprovidestestresultsthat
indicatethatwaterfromthemainscontainsnolead,thenthepeopleofJacksondeserve
toberemindedofthepersistenceoftheproblem.
Thereisnosafelevelofleadapersoncaningest.Thatistheconclusionofthe
AgencyforToxicSubstances&DiseaseRegistryaswellastheCDCandtheEPA.
SomeofJacksonstapwaterconsistentlycontainsconcentrationsofleadnearthe
federalactionlevelof16ppb.Thisisnotacceptable.ThepeopleofJacksonhave

expressedtheirsupportofmyeffortstobringthisproblemtolightratherthanleavingit
buriedorletitbeforgotten.Otherpeopleinmypositionwouldignoretheproblemand
keeptheirjobs.Asapublicservant,Ichosetotrytohelpsolvethisproblemratherthan
sacrificethepublichealthformyjob.Ifthereareeffortstodownplaytheriskthatexists,
thenIbelievethereputationoftheCityisbeingputbeforethehealthandsafetyofits
citizens.
JonathanYaeger,EngineerIntern