No to Chloramine! By Chevell Lamar March 03, 2014
My name is Chevell Lamar, I’m a freshman at Ketchikan High School, and I’d like to talk to you about the dramatic effects of Chloramine. Did you know that chlorinates are derivatives of ammonia by substitution of one, two or three hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms? I’m reasonably sure that you all know what chlorine is, and if you don’t it is the stuff we use to chemically balance pools, but you wouldn't want to drink the pool water would you? Chloramine is highly corrosive and it can eventually leach out of the pipes as the Ketchikan Daily News pointed out in their weekend edition of the paper. Lead ingestion is also very poisonous, especially to children and pregnant women. Studies have connected developmental delays in children, as well as cases of Autism, and Attention Deficit Disorder. But you won’t read those findings on a council measure, or in the paper. By standing idle and allowing decisions to be made for you, you are placing vulnerable children and the elderly at risk to a variety of illnesses. To be completely honest I hope that you know the straight facts of what you plan on putting in our water supply if you do not take action. I personally would not like to experience kidney failure, skin lesions, or some other illness because of your uninformed choice. Were I of voting age, I would be standing on a street corner with a sign shouting down this foolish idea, however I am not and I am forced to rely on the adults around me to raise their voices in disgust for me. While many people have Brita filters for their water, I ask you what about the people who cannot afford a Brita filter? Are you going to pay for their medical bills, or are you going to live with the fact that someone you might know became severely ill or even died when you could have prevented such a tragic event. I understand the paper says to filter the drinking water but what about our shower water? My sister has extremely sensitive skin, the wrong detergent and she is covered in eczema so badly that her skin will crack and bleed. The thought of my sister being forced to take a bath in water treated with Chloramine makes me sick to my stomach, what happens when the corrosive agents in the water that are supposed to be diluted break down her already fragile skin? What happens to the newborn baby who was just released from the Neonatal unit who has to bathe in that stuff? What happens to the elderly? Or infirm? Who will stand up for them? Our town not only relies on tourism, but on the local fishing industry. What about the water that infiltrates itself into the ocean? I fish! I’d rather not catch a three headed halibut, or salmon! What will happen to the sea life, such as sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and crabs, etc? If they die, then there is no money for the divers, which means no money for the families, whose family income depends on the diving industry. The devastation will be felt for generations to come. I have lived here since I was born, that’s 15 years on this island and I plan on living here many more, but how can I if you plan on killing off my way of life? If, for example I were to experience some of the long list of ailments that Chloramine effects have on people the ramifications would not just hit my own family, but the community. Now let’s just create a mental list for you of just me, well there would be my insanely high medical bills; food bills because I won’t be able to eat three headed halibut that now lives in the channel; my travel expenses for going to Seattle because Ketchikan is currently incapable of treating the more severe ailments that Chloramine creates; and the loss of income to my family because my mother would have to leave her job in order to travel back and forth for treatments. That’s loss of tax revenues isn’t it Council Members? They have literally made Hollywood movies about the dramatic and life altering effects of Chloramine on people, and we still want to use this stuff? Isn’t there a better alternative? We spent millions of dollars on a new library and a new pool, which the community appreciates, but we can’t spend that on a safe reliable way to treat our water? Ketchikan will still be the Rain City of the World but, what about the animal life, plant life, and even human life? Cruise ships filled to the brim with tourists come here to see bears, fish and the great town of Ketchikan. I bet you that when the tourists book their charter boat trips, they won’t expect to catch an orange halibut with three heads, but change is good isn’t it? Not this change, that’s for sure. Please stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. Sincerely yours, Chevell Lamar
Received March 03 , 2014 - Published March 03, 2014 Viewpoints - Opinion Letters:
Representations of fact and opinions in letters are solely those of the author. Your full name, city and state are required for letter publication.
|
