HEAVENER –State Rep. Lundy Kiger (R-Poteau) today commented on the completion of the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Heavener Water Treatment Assessment and announced two Town Hall meetings to discuss the report.
“Now that DEQ has issued their final report to the city of Heavener and Veolia, I want to first thank the citizens and business owners who stood up during a difficult time to tell how dirty water was affecting their lives, property and revenues” Kiger said. “Many of these citizens took a strong stand in light of harsh comments and at times personal threats. I commend each of them that told their stories because it did make a huge difference.
“I also want to thank DEQ for their time, effort and professionalism in reviewing the Heavener Utility Authority’s water treatment facility and the city’s distribution system,” Kiger said. “But more importantly, that DEQ took the time to go into the homes of those who filed complaints on the DEQ Complaint Line and tested their water and listened to the people affected.”
Kiger will hold two Town Hall meetings to discuss the results, both ON Tuesday, October 1: the first at 11 a.m. at the Heavener City Library, 203 E Avenue C; the second at 6 p.m. at the school’s PAC building, 401 E Avenue G.
At the Town Halls, Kiger said he plans to have water professionals on hand to explain what the report says and to answer questions from the public that are specific to the report. DEQ will be unable to attend this meeting but will continue to work on unresolved issues, he said.
“I would ask the public to attend either of these meetings,” Kiger said. “At this time, it’s still very important to bring your complaints, water issues and any pictures or water samples that you may have available. I also encourage the public to continue calling the DEQ Complaint Line when problems occur.”
The DEQ Complaint Line is (800) 522-0206. Heavener residents also can email Kiger at lundy.kiger@okhouse.gov or call him at (918) 649-3142. He will make sure complaints reach DEQ.
Kiger said he did not wish to make lengthy comments in this release specific to the report, but he does believe that DEQ did what he personally requested on behalf of the people, and that was to discover the Sources of the dirty water and lay out a plan to help fix this huge problem. Turbidity, manganese, Ph and Chlorine all play a part in the dirty water, just as his water professional explained in multiple public meetings, he said.
“According to the DEQ report, the sources of the dirty water have been identified and now DEQ will take steps that will result in this long-term issue soon going away for the people of Heavener,” he said.
“Even though I now believe from reading this report that we are well on our way to resolution for cleaner water for the people of Heavener, I also believe this may be only the first of many steps that will be taken in learning all facts related to water treatment, chemical use or non-use, maintenance and operations of Veolia, and if the city has maintained their water distribution properly and acted properly in conjunction with Veolia on behalf of the end users,” Kiger said. “From the report I don’t believe that either has done their jobs properly and much could come from these inactions.
“Still, I take great joy for the people of Heavener in learning these initial facts from the DEQ report, but I also know there is much more to come in learning all of the facts and how this will play out for the city and their citizens,” Kiger said. “Once again, I offer my office, which is ready to assist the city of Heavener and its citizens however possible.”
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