Editorial

If the people of Healdsburg truly want their children, young families and local workers to be able to rent and buy homes here, then it is time for new initiatives, real action and bigger efforts.

Tax Day is looming, the deadline we all over complain about, deal with anyway and somehow always survive — often ending with a nice refund check from the IRS. How much of our complaining is justified and how much is just an inbred response to anything made mandatory by the big, bad government?

For centuries, civilized peoples recognized the need for removal of bodily wastes from the human environment. Apart from the obvious odors and appearance of this waste, either on land or in bodies of water, the disease-causing germs were also present. Dysentery, Typhoid Fever, Cholera, and other public health issues were often found to be caused by the presence of bacteria and parasites in drinking water sources which were contaminated by wastewater. In areas where populations are concentrated, and where there is more wastewater to treat, communities construct wastewater collection systems that collect the wastewater and convey it to a treatment facility. The wastewater collection system typically consists of gravity-fed and pressurized underground piping which allows the unobstructed flow of wastewater to treatment facilities.  

As our cold, wet winter continues, we feel blessed to be out of the six year drought, but also bruised by the damage and harm caused by our recent flood waters. As those Russian River waters climbed, we as a community responded to those in need; once again showing that Northern Sonoma County is a community of compassion, care and action.

I appreciate your three informative November articles on the

— Rollie Atkinson

— Rollie Atkinson