A study
of water resources in Harford
County will be done for
the purpose of arriving at solutions to protect against possible shortages
and/or contamination in the future. The study will include the current
situation in Harford County; projections of water usage, availability, and
possible contaminants over the next 5 to 30 years; proposals that are being
discussed in Harford County; and problems and solutions of other communities in
the United States and abroad. This
study was adopted by the members of the League of Women Voters in Harford County at its Annual Meeting May 21,
2007.
A presentation of
the Harford County Water Resources study materials will be made to the
membership, and after its deliberations, the membership will come to a position
on Water Resources in Harford County by consensus and be able to advocate that
position in the name of the LWV-Harford before the County government as well as
take other forms of action including public education.
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REPORT ON LWV-HARFORD’S WATER RESOURCES STUDY
By Sandy Tracy, Program Chair, August
1, 2007
Our adopted local
program study, "Water Resources in Harford County"
is in the birthing stages. At a July meeting, Jane Howe and Sandy Tracy looked
at the goal and possible parameters, generated some timely questions, and
discussed potential time schedules. At a September meeting we will lock
in the scope of the study and proceed with gathering information and
research. Since we have discovered that several local organizations and
agencies are currently studying the county's water situation, part of our early
efforts will be to determine what direction those studies are taking and what
recent information has been developed from them.
We have gathered
numerous resource materials, including the 2006 Water and Sewer Master Plan
with the 2007 council-approved update and accompanying Water & Sewer Maps;
the proposed Water Resource Protection District code in the draft of the new
zoning code; reports on the Bush River Watershed and Perryman Wellfield; the final report on the Water Availability Study
of the Deer Creek Watershed. There is much more material to be gathered.
(Historical Note: Among the materials
appeared a booklet, "Protect Your Ground Water--Educating for Action,
published in 1994 by Guess Who?? The LWVUS, of course,
through its EF).
It appears from our
initial look at the water issue that we will need substantial "watts of
member power" to complete a thorough and creditable study. Please
plan to attend our next water resources study meeting: Wednesday, September 5 at the Aberdeen
Library meeting room, 215 Franklin
Street, Aberdeen
from 6 to 8 PM.
I would like to add
this as a last sentence to the article: "If you have information
about other water studies currently being conducted concerning Harford's water,
please send me email at Sandratracy9@aol.com or call me at 410-272-0943."
The program of the League of Women Voters is its body of positions,
adopted by the membership after study and consensus, on which it can take
action. The League of Women Voters in Harford
County has the positions adopted by
members throughout the country, which is the program of the League of Women
Voters of the United States.
Included in LWVUS program are positions on citizen rights, elections,
foreign policy, trade, natural resources, the environment, health care,
housing, early intervention for children at risk, and more. Many of these
positions are applicable in local jurisdictions and can and should be used for
advocacy. LWV-Harford has the positions adopted by members throughout Maryland and these
include administration of justice, land use, waste management, transportation,
children’s services, domestic violence, education, and more. Many of
these positions are applicable in local jurisdictions as well. There are
matters pertaining only to a local jurisdiction. In these situations, the
local League of Women Voters gets all the facts, studies, deliberates, and
decides on a position suitable just for that local
jurisdiction. Such is the case with water resources in Harford County.