ONE GOOD REASON Would someone, please, explain to me why those authorities who are, apparently, still in charge of whatever they seem to think might be done to ease the plight of the people of the New Orleans, insist that the major portion of the toxic water in which the city has been rotting is being pumped "back" into Lake Pontchartrain rather than downstream in to the Gulf the way of the already polluted Mississippi River?
Why change Lake Pontchartrain into a cesspool by pumping flood water back where it came? We have heard praise and approval for the present plan: "Send the water back where it came from - the Lake!" These same people will refer to the levees along the lake shore which broke and allowed the flood waters to seek and find lower levels in the city. They will say those levees have been "restored", "Rebuilt" or "repaired". In truth those breaks have been been temporarily "plugged" best. You don't "rebuild" by tossing tons of sandbags until flows become trickles. Even bull-dozing dirt over the broken area by thinning the walls of the levees upstream site of the break. The bad places have been "patched" one might say or the catch-all "fixed" can be applied - hoping any future local rain will not help the lake find new outlets.
There can be little doubt the health situation in New Orleans is serious. The toxic content is excessive. Most of the illnesses usually caused by such contamination of weeks or months to strike.
That is one reason why what is happening today in New Orleans is important to you; to me - to all of us.
Does it bother to know that the contaminated wastes of the Katrina flood are being "saved" for potential in Lake Pontchartrain and in the blood of some who have been in close contact with the waters for a week or more?
Think about it. Take it seriously.
A.L.M. Sept.7, 2005 [c335wds]
