Is Fayette County's

water supply safe?

"We're in pretty

good shape," Water System director Tony Parrott told the Water Committee

last week, "but there are additional things we can do and we're going

to look at that."

Parrott will investigate

new technologies and security methods over the next two weeks and report

to the committee during its Nov. 14 meeting.

Committee members

discussed numerous possible scenarios for sabotage of the water supply,

in light of the current atmosphere of concern over terrorism, and concluded

that there might be more that the system can do to protect the water.

More fencing and lighting

for the new South Fayette Water Treatement Plant on Antioch Road is one

possibility, with fencing costs estimated at $110,000. But committee Chairman

Chuck Watkins said he doubts the need.

"I don't see

anybody carrying a 55-gallon drum back through the woods and dropping

it in our lagoon," he said. If the raw water is tainted before being

treated, that contamination will be discovered and dealt with, he said.

Likewise, saboteurs

aren't likely to climb a water tank carrying heavy chemicals to poison

the supply that way, committee members said.

But the system might

be vulnerable in other areas, and measures should be taken, they said.

"People just want to feel more secure about it," said Watkins.

Parrott said the water

system's security company, Utlimate Security, already is looking into

alternatives such as additional surveilance cameras and motion sensors

at sensitive locations.

"We ought to

look at the whole package," said County Attorney Bill McNally.

"One doesn't

know when you are the target, so you have to be as prepared as you can,"

McNally said, but added that beyond doing as much as possible to be prepared,

people shouldn't be overly concerned. "I honestly think the worst

thing we can do is just be afraid," he said.

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