From: Angela Ford
To: Neysa Hinton; Diana Rich; Una JM Glass; Patrick Slayter; Sarah Glade Gurney; City Council; Mary Gourley; Lawrence McLaughlin; Dante Del Prete
Subject: Item No. 13. Syserco Energy Conservation Measures Project Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2022 2:29:48 PM
Attachments: ltr-City of Seb - Smart Water Meters - Final - 1-18-2022.doc January 18, 2022
Emailed to Councilmembers
TO: Sebastopol City Mayor Patrick Slayter and Council Members Una Glass, Sarah Glade Gurney, Neysa Hinton and Diana Rich
RE: Agenda item Number 13. City Manager-Attorney/City Clerk Report Out – Syserco Energy Conservation Measures Project
Hello Councilmembers,
Thank you for your ongoing service, dedication and commitment to Sebastopol! I am an elder in our Sebastopol community and a resident at Burbank Heights & Orchards. I am writing to invite you to retract your recent decision to purchase 3,000 smart (EMFtransmitting) water meters throughout Sebastopol. And, rather, to keep in place our current legacy water meters.
Legacy water meters emit no health-damaging Electro Magnetic Frequency (EMF) radiation. They add nothing new to the waste stream. They require no municipal fiscal indebtedness or increases in customer water rates and honor the Sebastopol General Plan.
By keeping current legacy water meters in place you are ensuring:
1) Optimal health and well-being for all who live and work here, including elders and chronically ill.
Three thousand smart water meters would add 3,000 EMF radiation transmitters to the city. These meters emit EMF radiation which is harmful to people and the environment. And when the technology needs an upgrade it will be to 5G, using millimeters waves which independent scientists are warning is harmful. https://www.emfscientist.org
2) Fiscal soundness for the City and all its citizens. Conservative financial practices are especially smart and savvy, in times of inflation, economic uncertainty and other pressing community needs.
Electing to become indebted through added municipal debt means that water customers will experience up to 4% hikes in water rates.
Water rate increases will add additional financial challenges to many of our citizens living on marginal incomes, such as young familes and elderly residents 3) Zero Waste. Our current 'legacy' water meters are durable and long-lasting. They function beautifully as they are. And importantly, they are recyclable. Let's keep them. And let's keep them out of the trash! Let's continue to be the green community we have always been.
Zero Waste Sonoma calls for purchasing products that minimize environmental impacts, toxins, pollution and hazards to worker and community safety, as well as to purchase durable and long lasting products. We already have 3,000 durable, long lasting products in place. If it ain't broke, why fix it?!? Reduce reuse recycle or make do or do without.
Proposed new smart water meters are made of plastic. If a smart water meter battery fails, the whole unit needs to be replaced. Thus relegating yet one more meter to the landfill.
4) Honoring of Sebastopol's 2015 General Plan
in which CHW 4 clearly states Minimize Community Exposure to Unsafe Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), and calls for minimizing EMF radiation Sebastopol's General Plan is intended to serve as a 'constitution' for all future development within the city." General Plan https://ci.sebastopol.ca.us/CityGovernment/Departments-Services/Planning/General-Plan I urge you to keep Sebastopol's legacy meters in place.
And to reverse your recent decisions. To step back from the health, economic, environmental and constitutional challenges the purchase and installation of 3,000 EMF transmitters throughout our city would present.
It is not too late.
Thank you for your time and attention in this critical matter. And always, for your work on behalf of our community.
Sincerely,
Angela Ford