Flagstaff Community Members: ‘No Wastewater on the Peaks’
Protester Locks Down City of Flagstaff Rio de Flag Waste-water Reclamation Plant
FLAGSTAFF, AZ — At approximately 10:30 am one protestor locked themselves to the Rio de Flag Wastewater Reclamation Plant. A march leaving from near-by coincided with the lock-down and dozens of people converged on the site to demand that the city of flagstaff and Snowbowl protect the people, ensure clean water and clean snow!
“In light of inevitable drought in the near future and the devastating desecration to the San Francisco Peaks that would occur if waste-water snow were to be used, today as a community we demand an end to any further plans to use reclaimed waste-water for snow making by Arizona Snowbowl on the Peaks.” Said one protestor who was part of the march but wished to remain anonymous.
After Locking themselves to the front fence of the waste-water facility, the protestor (name withheld for security due to not being arrested) , stated ” I am against the use of waste-water for recreation on the Holy San Fransisco Peaks. The Peaks are sacred to numerous indigenous peoples culture. The peaks are not a place to introduce a volatile product such as sewage effluent snow to our community and the environment ”
Protestor Jezz Putnam also stated “Recent studies have shown waste-water from the Rio de Flag Waste-water Reclamation Plant to contain anti-biotic resistant genes. This waste-water site has been using this water in our communities and we today we came together to say enough is enough! No more hazardous waste-water in our communities and never on the peaks.”
After four hours of holding down the front fence protestors left due to extreme weather and realizing their message had been heard without any arrests. The protestors decided to leave, but not without leaving their message to be heard tomorrow at the site too. The front gate was left u-locked shut with a banner reading “stop snowbowl”.
“We view this as a victory today. The message that waste-water is hazardous to communities must be heard. How long will the city of Flagstaff ignore this blatant health hazard? We must do everything we can to end the current desecration of the peaks and prevent further desecration to the peaks.” Said one organizer that has been fighting against the desecration of the peaks for nearly a decade.
