Letters to the Editor | Sept. 26, 2022

In attacking the law (Act 12) that provides critical funding to municipalities across the commonwealth, the Sept. 18 editorial outlined the dire state of our nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure — but made it clear that publicly regulated water utilities like Essential Utilities should not be part of the answer.

Act 12 was developed to help correct municipal failures across the country to prioritize investment in water infrastructure. The law allows private utilities to offer fair market value for water systems, providing municipalities with a way out of their financial troubles and — perhaps more importantly — getting them off the hook for managing a water or wastewater system they cannot afford to run.

Municipalities can turn to a company that employs experts in infrastructure, decades of expertise, access to critical funding, and a proven track record of performing better than municipal systems run the system so that residents can enjoy reliable and safe water.

That means rates often increase when a publicly regulated water utility acquires a system because municipalities often sell after years of deferred maintenance. We tend to purchase systems that require significant investment to ensure water quality and regulatory compliance.

I was particularly troubled by the editorial’s reference to the “water crisis” and incidents in Jackson, Miss. These are exactly the issues that occur with deferred maintenance and can be avoided by earlier intervention with companies like Essential. These unfortunate occurrences are nothing but an underscore of the fact that publicly regulated water utilities are an important resource in addressing America’s increasing and crippling need for infrastructure investment.

We pay extra to ensure higher safety and quality without a second thought daily — from the brands we choose in the grocery store to the cars we drive. Why are we so quick to shirk higher water rates if it translates to safe, reliable delivery of Earth’s most essential resource?

Christopher H. Franklin, chairman and CEO, Essential Utilities Inc., Bryn Mawr

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Inquirer editorials bashing the private water industry have chosen scare tactics over facts.

Local leaders must be free to determine what’s in their community’s best interest to address aging water and wastewater infrastructure that is so integral to public health. Operating utilities is extremely challenging and capital intensive. Partnering with water companies gives communities access to expertise and the accompanying higher quality water. Pennsylvania’s water companies are 37% less likely to have a health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violation than municipal systems. And when it comes down to it, cheap water that is unsafe to drink is unjust at any price (just ask Jackson, Miss., residents).

Municipalities choose to sell their water system for very real, compelling reasons. Saying a government-only solution is the only option takes a proven solution off the table for no valid reason. Over one-third of Pennsylvanians benefit from being served by a professional water company. The Editorial Board’s fear-mongering and disregard for facts, including citing bogus rate studies, does a real disservice to communities faced with these important decisions.

Robert F. Powelson, president and CEO, National Association of Water Companies

One should ask Republicans what they would have done differently to control inflation. Businesses failed during the pandemic, and extreme demand for products and services coming out of COVID-19 allowed large corporations to raise prices without any competition. The entire world suffered inflation.

Is it OK for the governor and state legislature to overturn elections no matter how the citizens of Pennsylvania voted?

Is there proof, not conspiracy theories, on how the 2020 election was stolen? Be specific. Over 70 challenges were thrown out of courts across the country, many by Trump-appointed judges.

Dave Savage, Collingswood

Concessions are a part of normal politics. Continuing the work that one’s predecessor started, when the idea was morally responsible and successful, makes good political sense. Last week, however, President Joe Biden’s Customs and Border Protection confirmed that it will resume construction on Donald Trump’s border wall. For our president, who campaigned as the one who would redeem the “soul of America,” to resume a morally misguided project like this is wrong. The wall embodies the racist “America First” mantra. That mantra divides us from our neighbors below our southern border. That racism corrodes any sort of “American soul” that Biden is meant to be saving. Further, to allocate billions of dollars to a wall during a housing crisis is a bad choice. Millions of Americans are fighting off evictions, foreclosures, and skyrocketing rents. This is an immoral political choice. President Biden, this cannot be what you meant by “build back better.”

Nate Craig, Phoenixville, natecra@gmail.com

Last week’s news of an Iowa girl who was trafficked, killed her assailant, and then was ordered to pay restitution to her rapist’s family was heartbreaking to read. but in the days that followed her sentence, the child’s former teacher started a GoFundMe campaign that raised enough money for her to pay the restitution and more.

It may surprise you that human trafficking exists in our region because it generally is hidden from the public eye. It happens regardless of the socioeconomic identity of your community — rich or poor, Black, brown, or white. You might also be surprised to learn that Pennsylvania is one of the top 10 states for human trafficking.

Together, with the District Attorney’s Office, we are addressing human trafficking in Delaware County. We are delving deeper into what appears to be routine law enforcement cases and pulling back the covers on human trafficking. We are training law enforcement to recognize the signs of trafficking victims. And we are making real progress. We believe that, had this case been in Delaware County, the child in Iowa would not have been asked to plead guilty to manslaughter.

When children come to the Delaware County Children’s Advocacy Center, the bad thing has already happened. It is our job to help them heal. If you know of a child who has been abused, please contact the Child Help Line at 1-800- 422-4453. To learn more about Family Support Line’s work and how you can help, please visit www. familysupportline.org.

Sarah Gibbons, executive director, Family Support Line, Media

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