Editorial: Shapiro's PWSA charges show need for public trust

People just want to know what is going on.

So many issues that arise with public service go back to public trust. The people need to have information and communication to believe that the people in power are doing the right thing.

And that is the problem with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority.

On Friday, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed 161 criminal counts against the authority for endangering the health of that many households.

Not that many people. That many households. You can multiply the potential impact by the men and women and children who live in those homes.

To PWSA’s credit, the authority was replacing lead pipes that carried water to those homes. Unfortunately, like removing asbestos from a building, removing lead pipes in and of itself can be a danger. Shapiro said it “can cause temporary and potentially significant increases in lead levels in residents’ drinking water.”

PWSA’s problem is that it didn’t tell the residents what was happening when it happened. That could translate to a fine as high as $2 million for the criminal charges, in addition to a civil penalty of $2.4 million the authority already paid to DEP.

The authority has a point when it makes the claim it has already been punished, and that it fell on its own sword in reporting the mistake to DEP.

They miss the point, however, in failing to notice what makes it a problem. The civil penalty addresses the fact that they didn’t follow a regulation. The criminal charges address the recklessness of that decision and the possible impact on real people’s lives.

And all because the people weren’t given the information they needed.

The pipes were replaced, which is good for the long-term safety of the water. But in the short term, people needed to know what to do as the danger was increased. They needed to make decisions about their health and safety. Should they take the risk with the water from the faucet? Should they buy bottled water? Should they go to a hotel until the danger has passed? Failing to notify them stole those choices.

As with so many scandals and uproars, the issue is not just what happened but how it was revealed or, more to the point, not revealed.

People have to trust that they are being told the truth, and being told what they need to know when they need to know it.