Albuquerque vs. Isleta Pueblo Water Case
INTRODUCTION
Isleta Pueblo and Albuquerque are nearby and just bounded by two Indian Pueblos. Isleta is downstream from Albuquerque. Pueblo used water directly from the river for drinking during religious ceremonies. In 1992, Isleta Pueblo got their approval by EPA to set their own water quality standard. The sewage treatment plant for the Albuquerque city puts water into Rio Grande. In this case, Albuquerque and Isleta Pueblo request for different standard for water quality standard. The water quality standard for Albuquerque already meets the standard of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) including the arsenic concentration. But, Isleta Pueblo want to get a strengthen water quality standard when the discharged water by Albuquerque effluent the river. To comply with the Pueblo’s arsenic standard could cost the city an additional $300 million in plant upgrades in order to renew their NPDES permit later. To comply with the Pueblo’s arsenic standard could cost the city an additional $300 million in plant upgrades in order to renew their NPDES permit later. The City, Pueblo, and EPA finally agreed to support a USGS study of arsenic in the area. Much of the arsenic being delivered to the Pueblo through the Rio Grande come from the groundwater running through the Jemez Volcanic Field added more arsenic. In 2002, the Isleta Pueblo amended its water quality standards. The Tribe’s new water quality standards were recently approved by the EPA, and have been set into law. The City did not have to spend huge sums of money to upgrade its system. However, a few glitches remain in the system.
What and how is (are) the code of ethic violated by people involved (engineers, management, local authority, government) in this case?
Albuquerque sewage treatment plant meets all applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations including the standard for arsenic concentration in the river. Any peoples or municipality who want using river water for drinking must treat the
Isleta Pueblo and Albuquerque are nearby and just bounded by two Indian Pueblos. Isleta is downstream from Albuquerque. Pueblo used water directly from the river for drinking during religious ceremonies. In 1992, Isleta Pueblo got their approval by EPA to set their own water quality standard. The sewage treatment plant for the Albuquerque city puts water into Rio Grande. In this case, Albuquerque and Isleta Pueblo request for different standard for water quality standard. The water quality standard for Albuquerque already meets the standard of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) including the arsenic concentration. But, Isleta Pueblo want to get a strengthen water quality standard when the discharged water by Albuquerque effluent the river. To comply with the Pueblo’s arsenic standard could cost the city an additional $300 million in plant upgrades in order to renew their NPDES permit later. To comply with the Pueblo’s arsenic standard could cost the city an additional $300 million in plant upgrades in order to renew their NPDES permit later. The City, Pueblo, and EPA finally agreed to support a USGS study of arsenic in the area. Much of the arsenic being delivered to the Pueblo through the Rio Grande come from the groundwater running through the Jemez Volcanic Field added more arsenic. In 2002, the Isleta Pueblo amended its water quality standards. The Tribe’s new water quality standards were recently approved by the EPA, and have been set into law. The City did not have to spend huge sums of money to upgrade its system. However, a few glitches remain in the system.
What and how is (are) the code of ethic violated by people involved (engineers, management, local authority, government) in this case?
Albuquerque sewage treatment plant meets all applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations including the standard for arsenic concentration in the river. Any peoples or municipality who want using river water for drinking must treat the
References: A Report on the Isleta Pueblo Water Quality Standards Conflict, Tyler Jantzen,Transboundary Water Resources CE 397 December 8. www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce397/Topics/Papers2005/Pueblo_Jantzen.pdf Ethics in Engineering online.sfsu.edu/~larryk/Common%20Files/Ethics%20in%20Engineering.pdf Line Drawing Problems www.delmar.edu/engl/instruct/aclark/linedrawingtemplate.htm The City of Albuquerque vs. Isleta Pueblo Water Case Engineering Ethics, Third Edition, Charles B.Fleddermann University of New Mexico, p.121 & 122.