Charleston Water Systems is Waterlogged

The mission statement of the Charleston Water System (CWS) is as follows: “Our Mission is to protect public health and the environment of our service community by providing clean water services of exceptional quality and value.” That sounds fine. We want clean water coming out of our faucets and our flushed toilet waste to travel to a place where we would probably not hold a Sunday picnic.
Are you old enough to remember when the water bill would arrive quarterly and would run about $35 or so? Those days are long gone. I guess that’s why my shares in Wham-O, the makers of “Slip N Slide” have tanked. Few people can afford to waste the precious liquid on yard amusements. Sure, inflation has played its role in the now much higher prices. However, what I consider wasteful giveaways of the money we send CWS also has played a role.
The information I am about to present was difficult to come by. Searching for and finding fur on a frog might have been easier. After several phone calls and having to submit a Freedom Of Information request, they finally relented and sent me what I asked for. In my limited experience, having to go the FOI route usually means that the entity does not wish to release the information.
At any rate, here goes. These figures are from 2011-2013 only. Any monies spent previously or since are not included. During this three-year period, $35,000 was given to the Charleston Trident Urban League and The Charleston Black Expo. ($9,500 to the Urban League and $25,500 to the Expo). I can already hear the stale screams of racism. Folks, it’s not that I have a problem with these organizations, it’s just that I fail to see how these “sponsorships” fit into the organization’s mission statement. If CWS feels so charitable, I suggest they pass around the hat at the office.
Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about why these two groups receive our dollars and have no ax to grind with them except that I don’t appreciate my hard-earned money being given to organizations I may or may not support. Although I like the Boy Scouts and animal rescue outfits, I would be opposed to the water company giving them money too. It would be interesting to learn who proposes these annual earmarks and which commissioners approve or oppose them.
Here is a homework assignment — call or write CWA and submit your own application for sponsorship money. However, I do hope you are turned down. Whatever your cause is, it would likely not be a fit as use of our money “to protect public health …” If enough people did complain about how our dollars are doled out, it just might send a wakeup call to the powers that be.
Well, got to go now and make sure my rain barrels are full. I never know when my faucets might run dry due to non-payment … or out of spite..
James David Altman lives in West Ashley and has been a contributing columnist for several publications. He’s the son of the late former S.C. Republican House of Representative of John Graham Altman III. You can reach him at rabidreb@gmail.com