ARIZONA'S OVERLOADER INFRASTRUCTURE

Arizona Republic – 11-16-06

Arizona’s Overloaded Infrastructure

That’s a surprise …? Considering the popular political mantra for the last ten or more years has been to tie our future to unrestricted growth, you find it surprising Arizona’s state-wide infrastructure is on the verge of collapse….?

Governor - “90 Dwarfs” – Environment . . . Our Governor Re-Elect along with the aptly named “90 Dwarfs” serving in our State Legislature chose to idly sit while on their watch your infrastructure steadily declined. But not to worry, these same folks and their allies aligned to assure the infrastructure was upgraded to accommodate the new arenas for the Coyotes Hockey team and the Bidwell owned NFL Arizona Cardinal Stadium as well as accommodating the developers need for water, power and sewer. That I-17 between Bell Road and Anthem is reduced to a parking lot and the scene of ever increasing traffic accidents is really not a priority item to these folks.

Water – Drought – You . . . While in the grasp of an extended “drought” our Governor Re-Elect and her environmental friendly administration directors of ADEQ and ADWR were content to hold stead fast to the mantra of damn the torpedoes full speed ahead nothing stops development and growth. Not even the reality of scarce water – compromised air quality – state highways needing maintenance – grossly unequal education facilities state-wide – or inadequate public health care.

Not to worry about the cost to bring our infrastructure state wide to the point where the needs of all the citizens are met. Growth will solve all these problems, just ask our Governor – the “90 Dwarfs” – the highly paid Lobbyists who actually draft the bills and run your State Legislature – and the developers. Growth, the magic panacea, loudly proclaimed by our political leaders will solve all our infrastructure ills. But, who, you ask will pay the cost to bring our state wide infrastructure to the point where the needs of all the citizens are met …? While stealthily camouflaged, you of course.

Camouflage – Stealth – Water . . . The plight of all forms of water in our state has suffered immeasurably in the last ten years. How you ask…? Our Governor and her Director of ADEQ believe it is the right thing to do to permit installation of leaking septic tanks, commercial grease traps, wastewater interceptors and other wastewater holding chambers into your state soil. Not possible you say. Consider that while both the Governor and her Director of ADEQ will point to the vaunted RULE book, please note there are NO enforcement or compliance provisions and the entire program is based on self-regulation. They actually invite the fox to guard the hen house. Isn’t that wonderful...?

And now we have a new provision which ADEQ added to their RULE book which mandates all residential homes which are sold in our state and which have installed upon them any type of septic or residential wastewater system shall be inspected and certified before the home can be sold. On the face of it, this is a great idea and one which could actually benefit our precious Arizona environment. ADEQ wisdom was rather than take the time to develop a comprehensive program we’ll simply institute this mandate, especially because there is a $50 fee attached to every sale. Stakeholder groups during the rule making process ardently urged ADEQ to take and make the time necessary to develop a comprehensive program. However, ADEQ summarily chose to terminate all outside input. The current ADEQ mandated residential re-sale inspection and certification program is nothing more than “feel-good” holding absolutely no-one accountable or responsible lacking specified enforcement and compliance provisions. The residential resale septic inspection and certification is a joke and the joke is on you and guesses what you even get to pay for it.

But, hey, your Governor – the “90 Dwarfs” – ADEQ and ADWR promise the water you consume is safe. Yea, right…!