From: Jennifer LaPorta
To: City Council
Subject: NIX the smart water meters
Date: Sunday, April 03, 2022 8:47:02 AM
Dear City Council of Sebastopol,
City staff and Council members promoted the meters as a climate solution. When asked to provide clarifying information on the savings, Syserco, the company Sebastopol contracted for the water meters wrote,“there has never been a claim that the new meters “save energy, save water, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions”.
However, Syserco did claim the meters saved water and were energy efficient. They presented a “savings and conservation summary” chart that included energy savings, water savings and green-house gas emissions reductions.They presented this to the Climate Action Committee (CAC) to get their approval and used their endorsement to sway the council.
In response to a question about why the city wanted smart water meters, Mayor Slayter wrote, “The agreement the City has entered into includes a wide-range of energy efficiency upgrades, protecting our environment and reducing GHG emissions.”
Council member Rich said, “I am very much in support of the water meter project here…I see this move as a major move forward in terms of our climate goals.” Mayor Slayter said,“I think that's the right thing to do given the climate emergency”.
What’s the real reason for smart water meters? According to Syserco it’s MONEY.
Please consider this:
Did Syserco mislead Sebastopol? Yes.
Did staff and council, eager for climate and drought solutions, rush to approve the project? Yes.
Should decisions based on false marketing claims be allowed to stand? No.
This is climate-washing, the use of deceptive marketing spin to persuade the public that a product is climate friendly, when it’s really harmful to the environment. Smart water meters emit pulsed EMF frequencies which threaten nature and public health.
Studies show this is environmental pollution.
Dr. David Carpenter, a Harvard trained physician and director of the Institute for Health and the Environment, warns that the greatest risk from exposure to radiation (RFR) is cancer, and there's growing evidence for brain and reproductive impacts. He writes, “Some people develop a condition called electro-hypersensitivity (EHS). These individuals respond to being in the presence of RFR with a variety of symptoms, including headache, fatigue, memory loss, ringing in the ears…” among many symptoms. He further warns, “exposure to smart meters is a trigger for development of EHS.”
The public record shows one hundred people contacted the council to oppose the water meters. Many resist the increase in EMFs. Some have privacy concerns because the meters collect and wirelessly transmit personal data. Some fear the inevitable cost increases. Ten people contacted the council in support of the water meters, primarily for saving water, easier leak detection, and climate concerns.
Reducing climate change threats and reducing RFR to protect people and the environment can co-exist, as long as deceptive marketing claims are disallowed. This will require awareness of climate-washing, diligence and fact checking, which historically, Sebastopol has excelled at. Stop this "smart" water meter rollout before it's too late!
Sincerely,
Jennifer LaPorta
BS Environmental health