Sludge Watch ==> Lake Michigan - sipping sludge in the South Suburbs

[Maureen Reilly]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Water and wastewater...so intimately linked.  The more contamination enters 
surface water..the more money needs to be spent on water treatment....the 
more money people spend to buy bottled water.


Water companies lo-o-o-ve sewage treatment plants.  They mess up the water 
so much that people  have to empty their wallets to buy product water.




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Sipping sludge in the South Suburbs?

July 29, 2007
BY JOHN K. RYAN The Star

Recent news reports may have some south suburbanites thinking it's time to 
stock up on bottled water.

Scary stories about increased levels of ammonia and sludge being dumped into 
Lake Michigan by the BP Amoco refinery in Whiting, Ind. have permeated 
newspapers and the airwaves.

Looking South from Lake Michigan to BP Amoco Refinery in Whiting 
photographed July 18, 2007.
Jeffrey D. Nicholls/Post-Tribune

The refinery is looking to up its discharge to 1,584 pounds of ammonia (a 50 
percent increase) and 4,925 pounds of sludge (a 30 percent increase) into 
Lake Michigan every day.

Nearly all of the southern suburbs get their supply of drinking water from 
the lake. Water treatment for most of these communities comes from Chicago's 
Department of Water Management.

The department's south purification plant at 79th Street is only a few miles 
across the lake from the refinery's discharge point in Whiting.

Officials of the department expressed much concern about BP's plans to 
increase its discharge, but insisted the water treatment plant could handle 
the situation.

"We have no plans to change our purification process, but we're always 
concerned about the quality of our source water," said Tom LaPorte, 
spokesman for the Chicago Department of Water Management.

"We'll monitor the situation closely and are prepared to make adjustments if 
needed."

A few southwest suburban communities are supplied Lake Michigan water 
through Illinois American Water Co.

The company, however, buys water already treated by the city of Chicago, 
said Lisa Reisen, spokeswoman for Illinois American.

Some groups concerned about lake water pollution levels are hoping BP or the 
state of Indiana will rescind the permit that allows for the increase.

One of those groups is South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association.

"We all have a vested interest in the quality of water in Lake Michigan. 
It's an important resource for the entire region," said Ed Paesel, executive 
director of the association.

Terrence J. O'Brien, president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation 
District of Greater Chicago, took BP to task in a strongly worded press 
release.

"The district has been protecting Lake Michigan from pollution for 118 
years, and has spent trillions of taxpayer dollars during that time to do 
so," O'Brien said.

"We find this action by BP to be appalling. We urge the leaders of BP to 
reconsider their decision. Lake Michigan is the source of drinking water for 
Chicago and dozens of other communities and the quality of that water must 
not be compromised.

"BP markets itself as an environmentally friendly company. Environmentally 
conscious companies do not pollute."

Max Muller, environmental advocate at Environment Illinois, said he is 
hoping continued pressure will change BP's plans as they stand.

"The longer this story stays an issue, the more damage to BP's reputation. 
The same with Indiana's governor (Mitch Daniels). He may be shamed into 
rescinding the permit that allows this increase," Muller said.

Protest has been growing since news of BP's plan surfaced.

Combined with an earlier effort directed at Illinois' congressional 
delegation, a petition by Muller's group has garnered more than 12,000 
supporters.

Mokena's village board agreed to send a letter protesting the refinery' 
plans.

"I just believe that we use the lake as drinking water and to now allow more 
pollutants into it is ridiculous. I believe part of it a move to eventually 
allow BP Amoco to dump more mercury into the lake," said Joseph Siwinski, a 
trustee in Mokena who proposed the protest letter.

Paesel said some area politicians are starting to move on the issue.

"It's good to see our state legislators taking some aggressive measures to 
put pressure on (BP)," Paesel said.
John K. Ryan may be reached at
jryan at starnewspapers.com
or (708) 802-8807.