CEAC-2022-09-September

that the unauthorized discharge of pollutants interfered
with the wastewater treatment process.
The agency said it is still investigating exactly how much
chemical was released and why.
Pressure Mounts to Fix Water Issues in Mississippi
Capital
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A business group and one of Mississippi’s
largest unions have issued separate statements urging
renewed action to address Jackson’s “water crisis.”
In an Aug. 8 joint letter and news conference, 46 business
owners in the capital city said back-to-back citywide boil water
notices and citywide water outages have had “dramatic
negative consequences” for restaurants.
“This letter serves as our first formal attempt to focus atte -
tion on this crisis and to engage with our City, County and
State leadership with the intent of applying pressure to get
action,” the letter reads.
The letter outlined the added costs for restaurants when the
city’s water supply is interrupted. Demand for ice has spiked
as vendors are required to obtain it from vendors with access
to an approved water supply. As a result, some restaurants
are using vendors as far away as Meridian, a city about 92
miles east of Jackson, the letter said.
A poll conducted by the association showed that 96 percent
of participants said they believe Jackson’s water is unsafe to
drink, WJTV-TV reported.
Compressor Explodes in New Mexico Grocery
Store; 2 Injured
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two employees of an Albuquerque
grocery store have been injured after a compressor
exploded, authorities said Thursday, Aug. 4.
City fire officials said two heating, ventilation and air con -
tioning specialists were working on the store’s HVAC system
that morning and it was unclear why the compressor exploded.
Officials said the two employees were taken to a hospital for
treatment of burns and blast injuries.
Their names and medical conditions weren’t immediately
released.
Fire officials said no toxic gas was released into the air from
the explosion.
One Dead in Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak
in California
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in
California’s wine country has caused one death and nearly
a dozen hospitalizations since mid-July, and public health
officials have found one possible source of the bacteria that
causes the illness, authorities said Wednesday, Aug. 3.
High levels of Legionella bacteria were found in a water
sample taken from a cooling tower at Embassy Suites Napa
Valley, although none of those who were sickened had
visited or stayed at the hotel, according to a Napa County
statement.
“The cooling tower has since been taken offline, which mit -
gates any ongoing risk to public health,” the statement said.
County and state public health investigators have been working
with hotel staff to “remediate the source of exposure”
but “we must continue to investigate other cooling towers
and water sources in the outbreak area, as it is common to
find more than one source,” D . Karen Relucio, the county’s
health office , said in the statement.
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by a
bacteria that grows in warm water. It was named for the
outbreak where it was first identified, at a 1976 America
Legion convention in Philadelphia.
People can get Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in
water vapor containing the bacteria.
Minnesota Storms Knock Out Power to
75,000 Customers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Severe storms knocked out power to
as many as 75,000 customers across Minnesota where power
poles were toppled and winds gusted as high as 81 mph in
the state’s southern region.
The largest power outages were west of the Twin Cities and
by the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 3, service had been
restored to about half of those who lost power, according to
Xcel Energy.
Winds the previous night gusted as high as 81 mph near
Hector in Renville County in southern Minnesota. Minneapolis-St.
Paul International Airport reported a peak wind gust
of 62 mph.
The National Weather Service said it received reports of trees
and branches down from Carver and McLeod counties east
across the Twin Cities.
Volume 87 · Number 9 | 7
0922 issue.indd 7 8/22/22 3:27 PM