Letter to the Editor:
I would like to respond to the letter written by Tony Schumacher in the Teutopolis Press on Wednesday, December 17, 2008. In August 2008 a community survey, designed by the Comprehensive Planning Committee with guidance from the University of Illinois Extension, mailed out a survey to all households in Teutopolis and the 1.5 mile buffer zone. The survey asked the citizens their opinion on various topics concerning the Village. Once the data was tabulated, water was the number one concern.
On October 22, 2008 a public meeting was held to present the survey results to the people. The forum on water, whether it was drinking, drainage or sewer, was the most heavily attended. The consensus was overwhelmingly in favor of a water softener.
The Village Board has several things to consider. The funds will have to be appropriated. The condition and lifespan of the wells have to be considered. The cost per gallon pumped verses purchased (which is hard to do because the usage and the price vary). The state of our economy could affect our budget.
A water softener does not put salt in the water. A softener has two tanks in it. One for salt and the other for a substance called zeolite. Water runs through the zeolite which chemically bonds to the minerals and deposits in water that make it hard. When the zeolite gets clogged with deposits, salt water is back flushed through the zeolite to clean out the deposits and wash them down the drain.
The comment you made about not needing the softened water is true. I live a block from you and I don't need it either. I feel this is a community problem and we are all in this together. A pointy eared Vulcan once said "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one."
In closing I would like to thank you Tony for voicing your opinion. I hope I clarified some things for you. If you have any other comments or questions, feel free to call me or any other board member.
Greg Hess, Teutopolis Board Trustee
Teutopolis
