The following story states E. coli was not found in the treatment plants wastewater, studies show that
antibiotic bacteria are released in sewage wastewater from award winning treatment plants. Not only that
but the E. coli testing is for a high temperature strain referred to as fecal coliform that grows at 112
degrees F. Deadly E. coli will have killed you at a temperature below 108 degrees F.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/mar/11/worker-gets-probation-false-e-coli-test-reports/
Knoxville News
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Worker gets probation for false E. coli test reports
By Jamie Satterfield (Contact)
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Month after month, a Rockwood Sewage Treatment Plant employee signed off on reports assuring regulators that
wastewater dumped into Black Creek showed no trace of the deadly E. coli bacteria.
All the while, utility operator Paul William Perkins knew the discharge had not even been tested. The machine used to
screen for the bacteria was broken.
Perkins, 28, avoided a federal prison term Monday for his admission that he violated the Clean Water Act by falsifying
reports on emissions testing from February 2004 to October 2004. Instead, U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips
sentenced him to community service and a two-year probationary term.
"I hope you understand the reason for all of this taking place," Phillips said of the federal criminal prosecution. "That
law was designed to protect the public."
Although later testing did not reveal the presence of E. coli in the plant's wastewater, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew
T. Morris said Perkins' trickery could have led to contamination of water by a bacteria that can cause serious illness
and even death. Regulators, including the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, depend on
truthful reporting by operators like Perkins, he said.
"This is not just a paper violation," Morris said in a hearing in U.S. District Court. "Those reports are important. We felt
it was important that others in a similar position (be warned to) self-report honestly."
Morris detailed Perkins' crime in court records.
"During the month of February 2004, an incubation bath used for analyzing the effluent from the Rockwood (plant) for
E. coli bacteria became inoperable," Morris wrote "Nevertheless, from February 2004 through October 2004, (Perkins)
falsified, caused the falsification or aided and abetted in the falsification of the monthly operating reports and
discharge monitoring reports … to falsely indicate that the requisite E. coli bacteria testing had been performed when
it had not."
Perkins had worked at the Rockwood plant since 2001. Federal Defender Beth Ford said the father of five had an
otherwise solid work history.
"Mr. Perkins' actions were not consistent with how he'd conducted his life up to that point," Ford said.
In urging probation, Ford told Phillips that Perkins had custody of two of his children and shared custody of the
remaining three, including twins.
"He has made a full disclosure of what he did," Ford said. "I think he's at a minimum risk to re-offend."
Jamie Satterfield may be reached at 865-342-6308.
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