Latest news with #WaterDivision
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill banning fluoride additives in Florida drinking water
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Since the 1950's cities and counties all over the US have been adding fluoride to their drinking water supplies to promote dental health. In Bay County, that process will soon end. Water department officials say they will use the supply of fluoride that's still on hand, then discontinue the process. The move will save the county a small amount of money. Florida controversy over fluoride removal from water systems 'So, we spend around $100,000 a year on the actual chemical that we had. So, we know we're going to save that money right off the bat. As soon as we stop feeding it, we hope to stop purchasing it. So that's how we got that number,' Water Division Superintendent Sean Lathrop said. Fluoride is in toothpaste and used by dentists for teeth cleanings. About 75% of the nation's water systems add naturally occurring minerals, like fluoride, to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Lathrop says the removal of fluoride will not affect the water quality. 'It's not going to change the water quality at all. We're still going to strive to give the best quality water that we can, and that's what we're going to continue to do,' Lathrop said. REAL ID enforcement begins, travelers without are still allowed to fly Officials say all they have to do is flip a switch to stop adding fluoride to the water tanks. For now, they're letting the existing supply run its course. 'We have a big tank and pumps that feed it into our system and inject it into the system. And we'll just basically once it's empty, we just turn it off,' Lathrop added. Once that's gone, it will take 30 days for the fluoride to work its way out of the system. Lathrop says the transition will not affect the price of water bills. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Warwick settles sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former worker for $600K
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Warwick has agreed to a $600,000 settlement in a lawsuit involving a former Water Division employee who accused her former boss and several colleagues of repeated sexual harassment, Target 12 has learned. An attorney representing Bree Boulais confirmed Tuesday the city settled the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed last year in federal court. Warwick and its insurer, the Rhode Island Interlocal Trust, will pay $600,000 as part of the agreement, according to city solicitor Michael Ursillo. Boulais, who started working in the division in 2021, filed the lawsuit last June, alleging the sexual harassment began in March 2022 and continued until she left in 2023. The men who sexually harassed her included former Water Division Director Terry DiPetrillo, according to the lawsuit. 'Ms. Boulais bravely came forward to hold the city of Warwick Water Division accountable for the harm she suffered,' Paige Munro-Delotto, her attorney, said in a statement. 'This settlement is a testament to her strength and perseverance. While no amount of money can undo the trauma she endured, this resolution provides our client with the means to move forward.' DiPetrillo went out on paid sick leave for more than six months shortly after Boulais filed the lawsuit; he resigned last month. During an exclusive interview with 12 News last year, Boulais said one of DiPetrillo's comments would haunt her forever. 'He thought it would be funny to ask my coworker if he would be willing to 'run a train on me,' and that is a form of gang rape,' Boulais said in the interview. BACKGROUND: Ex-Warwick workers speak out about sexual harassment, 'Nazi joke' lawsuit Elizabeth Tufts, a spokesperson for Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi, declined to comment on the settlement, citing 'a legal matter.' She referred questions to the city solicitor. Ursillo said he couldn't disclose how much of the $600,000 city taxpayers would pay compared to the Interlocal Trust. That information is expected to become public once the Warwick City Council opens minutes from a non-public meeting held to discuss the matter, he explained. 'The settlement represents a compromise during negotiations which the city decided was fair under the circumstances,' Ursillo said. 'The settlement also avoided the uncertainty of trial.' Munro-Delotto said she and Boulais 'hope this case sends a clear message that workplace harassment will not be tolerated, and that those who experience it have the right to speak out and seek justice.' 'We are proud to have stood by her side and will continue to advocate for safer, more equitable workplaces for all,' she added. MORE: Embattled Warwick Water director resigns The Water Division is the focus of a related lawsuit filed in federal court by former employee Peter Broomfield, who joined the agency in 2015. Broomfield alleged he became the target of discrimination after deciding to stick up for Boulais and encouraging her to report the sexual harassment. Broomfield, who is Jewish, said the discrimination came to a head in August 2023 when DiPetrillo called him into his office to hear his 'Nazi joke.' 'He had me stand up in front of them,' Broomfield told 12 News last year. 'He said, 'Knock, knock.' … Before I could even say, 'There…,' he slapped me across the face and said, 'We will be the ones asking the questions.'' DiPetrillo was arrested and charged with simple assault as a result of the incident. He received a one-year filing, meaning he wouldn't be punished and could get the charge removed from his records if he stayed out of trouble for one year. The case is no longer visible in court records. Broomfield's lawsuit remains open. Eli Sherman (esherman@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the free to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Santa Fe to send water to Las Vegas as city once again struggles with water supply
Pandemic, wildfire, floodwaters and water main leaks: The city of Las Vegas, N.M., has had a chaotic last five years. Following water system problems that have cut off the supply to thousands of residents and placed the whole city under a boil water advisory, including a recent major leak, Las Vegas is now trucking water in from the city of Santa Fe. Santa Fe also provided water for its neighbor to the east over the summer after flooding in the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire burn scar knocked ash and silt into Las Vegas' water supply past the point at which it could be treated. Santa Fe at the time was able to comfortably provide water without straining its own resources, something Water Division Director Jesse Roach said will be even easier in the winter. "It's never a good time for a water emergency, but in terms of our ability to help, the winter is our low-demand season," Roach said Tuesday. "We have the capacity to help them out without straining our resources." He noted Santa Fe also has offered to send personnel to Las Vegas to assist with repairs if needed. The city has been processing about 7 million gallons of water a day recently, Roach said, but it processes more than double some days in the summer. The maximum Las Vegas can take in one day under its agreement with Santa Fe, 400,000 gallons, would be slightly more than 5% of Santa Fe's current daily demand. The city is selling the water to Las Vegas at $6.06 per 1,000 gallons, its lowest rate. Roach noted the major expense for Las Vegas will be gas and driver time, not the water itself. Tankers began filling up from two metered hydrants on Santa Fe's south side beginning Monday evening and continued throughout the day Tuesday. Problems began last week after Las Vegas' water system experienced a leak that led to widespread low pressure and outages through parts of the community. The water system serves about 14,530 users, according to the New Mexico Environment Department. Work has been underway to fix the leak over the last several days, the city has announced in news releases, but many residents remain without water and officials have been urging those who do have water to only use it when strictly necessary to conserve the supply. The entire city is currently under a boil water advisory, the New Mexico Environment Department announced Tuesday. The agency said the advisory was required because of turbidity, or cloudiness, in the water system beyond limits set by the Safe Drinking Water Act, but no contamination has been identified in the water system. Several Las Vegas city officials did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Las Vegas City Councilor Barbara Perea Casey said she has been fielding nonstop calls from residents without water, estimating she's received 500 in the last two days. Perea Casey said the leak drained one of the city's water tanks before it could be located, cutting off water to many people in the city. "Some people have water, some just had a trickle and some have regular water coming in," she said. She noted the City Council is scheduled to have a special meeting Friday to discuss the water emergency but said she is not sure how long it will take for the issue to be resolved. Roach said Las Vegas officials had requested water from Santa Fe for three to 30 days. The water emergency speaks to the importance of having a diversified water portfolio, he said, something Santa Fe has worked hard to create over the years. It now has four main sources of water: the city well field, the Buckman well field, surface water from the Santa Fe River and the Buckman Direct Diversion, which pulls Colorado River Basin flows from the Rio Grande. If an issue were to occur at the Canyon Road Water Treatment Plant or the Buckman Direct Diversion, the city would be able to fall back on other water sources while it worked to fix the issue. Having a resilient water system makes it easier to provide aid to surrounding communities as well, such as Las Vegas, Roach noted. "We're happy to be in a position to be able to help them," he said. Roach mentioned the issue during Monday night's Public Works and Utilities Committee meeting. City councilors on the committee appeared supportive: "I think it's important we help our neighbors when we can," Councilor Amanda Chavez said.
