A June bug of the flu variety
When you come down with the flu in June, that's not good. And when you come down with the flu when the local Reservoir contains a dangerous algae — well, that's even worse. Your illness serves as fodder for the overactive, paranoid imagination.
But with the city not importing any water from the Reservoir, and my primary sources of drinking water coming from sealed gallon jugs or the Culligan man, I'm left to conclude this fact: Yes, one can get the flu bug in the summertime. Lucky, lucky me.
But life rolls on, as does the situation out at the Reservoir.
It's been a strange situation lately, one that has caused most Hillsboro and Peabody residents to rethink those long showers and excessive dish washing.
As of press time, the situation was the same: The city is still not processing Reservoir water in its treatment plant, and Gorgess Dairy trucks still roll in from McPherson filled with water that they pump into our system.
It was a serious decision that city officials made — stopping production of water. A decision many might question. Are we being too drastic? Is the algae bloom really that serious? Should we trust that our water treatment plant will filter out anything dangerous?
Most of us aren't experts on anabaena. But here's what even the layman can understand: Anabaena releases toxins. These toxins attack the body's nervous system and liver. Though the toxins may not cause death, they do cause serious illness.
Those facts alone should cause us to take a closer look at the situation. And they should make us want to err on the side of caution.
Sure, bringing in water from McPherson isn't fun. It's a drain on the City of McPherson, and it will probably cost Hillsboro a pretty penny.
But when it comes to the health of Hillsboro and Peabody citizens, shouldn't we stay on the "careful" side?
— JENNIFER WILSON
