I was a wastewater treatment plant operator during the TMI event. As one of many utility managers in the area – particularly water and wastewater utilities – we were responsible for the orderly operation of these plants during the emergency.
All of us felt a responsibility to the public we served
The Emergency Management System held a meeting in Carlisle for operators of water and wastewater treatment facilities to discuss procedures for either continuing to operate the plants while residents remained in place and needed those services, or, in the event of mass evacuations, how to properly shut down those facilities in order to weather the shutdown and to allow for reopening the utility after an all clear was given and the public returned.
Simply walking away and locking the gate at these facilities risked a loss of millions of dollars in damaged equipment and a loss of vital services to citizens during and after the event. In order to continue to provide services, and protect the investment of the municipalities involved, many utility personnel sent their families outside to a safe zone, but remained in place themselves.
lack of reliable information from TMI added to the confusion
One of the biggest problems we faced as operators, was the uncertainty, because of the lack of reliable information coming out of TMI at the time. Many municipal utility operators did not know if they should remain operating, or, start to take measures to shut their facility down. All of us felt a responsibility to the public we served and the municipalities we represented to do the best for all concerned. Communication between operators and EMS personnel was, in my opinion, very good. But the lack of reliable information from TMI added to the confusion and apprehension.
I think that those municipal employees who stayed behind to “man the pumps” are an important part of the story of the TMI event. It is an important part of our history and a great place to start the discussion of nuclear power in our future.
Steve