Miller Opposition to Water Projects

Re “Miller Brewery Fights Water Reclamation,” Aug. 18:

Our public health is put at risk by taking water from sewage, inadequately treating it, inadequately testing it and injecting it directly into our drinking water supply.

The standards proposed for the San Gabriel Water Reclamation Program and the East Valley Recycling Project fall far short of the degree of care the public has a right to expect. Virus testing would be done only once a month, and only for 20% of enteric viruses. No testing would be done for Hepatitis A. The virus testing techniques are 30 years out of date. There appear to be no plans to use the powerful new techniques of molecular biology, such as the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There appear to be no plans to measure how long it will take water from the injection site to reach the nearest wells, or to monitor for cryptosporidium, which killed 19 people in Las Vegas last year in spite of water treatment.

Whatever their corporate interests, I believe the public owes Miller Brewing Co. a vote of thanks for their efforts to protect the public drinking water supply.

HARVEY S. FREY MD, Ph.D.

Science Adviser

Fund for the Environment

Santa Monica

*

* Cigarette makers’ efforts to block collection of information on the secondhand smoke/cancer issue reveal only the iceberg’s tip (editorial, Aug. 18). Most Times readers may not realize that Miller Brewing Co. is owned by Philip Morris, Inc. Miller Brewery attorneys are responsible for successful litigation efforts to block a San Gabriel Valley water recycling project, reported the same day.

Miller misinterprets extensive information, while arguing the purported dangers of reclaimed water. The brewer even opposes a successful water project with no adverse health reports, now proposing re-permitting, after over 30 years. Miller corporate parent Philip Morris advocates limiting collection of health information from physicians that may increase tobacco industry secondhand smoke liability.

Dangling in the balance is the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District’s reclamation project, proposed to serve a million residents who are among the last to receive the benefits of water recycling in Southern California.

Perhaps we need higher taxes on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. The new revenue could fund studies on how to grow politicians with stronger backbones.

R. WILLIAM ROBINSON

Director, Upper San Gabriel Valley

Municipal Water District, West Covina