Corpus Christi, Like Flint, Is The Harbinger For Trump's America

The water system of Corpus Christi, Texas, a city of over 300,000 on the Gulf Coast has been contaminated by a chemical spill in an industrial district and residents are advised against using tap water to cook or bathe. My sources tell me that the residents have also been instructed not to flush their toilets but that has not been confirmed by the media. According to a press release, somewhere between 3 to 24 gallons of an asphalt emulsifier, Indulin AA-86, has possibly leaked into the city's water system. Although testing has so far indicated no contamination, the city's recommendations were made out of "an abundance of caution'. That caution might be warranted since the chemical is under patent and the city has no idea what the underlying elements are that they should be testing for. In fact, the city has had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the chemical's patent holder simply to find out the specific makeup of the chemical. Apparently, the city believes that boiling or filtering the water will be ineffective. It would be nice if the city could let its citizens know just exactly who is poisoning them but, so far, the city has refused to identify the source of the contamination. My sources say it is a Valero Energy facility but, again, that has not been confirmed. After Flint, we all know the kind of damage that can happen when water systems become contaminated. If this chemical somehow strips the protective coating off the lead pipes in the system, Corpus could very well end up in a similar situation to Flint.

This is not the first time Corpus Christi has suffered a failure of its water system. Back in May, the city remained under a "boil water" notice for two weeks after low levels of chlorine disinfectant were detected in the system, making the water unsafe. That incident was the third incident with the city's water system in just one year. Texas is the dream example for what the oil-drilling polluters that dominate Trump's cabinet want in government. Environmental regulations in Texas are primarily designed to protect the polluters from any challenges from citizens of environmental groups. Texas ranks as one of the top polluting states in virtually every category - water quality, air quality, chemical contamination, you name it. The Republicans that control the state surely believe that polluters need to enjoy "liberty" from those pesky environmental regulations. Sadly, Texas is where the GOP, Trump, and his cabinet want to take us.