It was to have lasted a quarter of a century or more, that Tempe Town Lake dam. A rubber structure, Tempe Town Lake dam created a beautiful natural landmark for the city of Tempe, Arizona. But one wonders what Tempe thinks about one of the 11-year-old dam pillows having blown, as the Associated Press reports. Two-thirds to three-fourths of Tempe Town Lake will flood the dry riverbed of Salt River, which happens to be an area where some of Tempe’s homeless tend to sleep during the summer.
No injury reports at Tempe Town Lake
Reports indicate that the spontaneous explosion of the 16-foot-high section of the Tempe Town Lake dam caused no injuries, and the water has placed no structures in urgent danger. Area residents said they heard a loud “ka-boom” and felt the ground shake near Arizona State University. Seconds afterward, witnesses saw animals fleeing the scene. Minutes later, a safety alarm rang out. Reports as to whether any potential transients within the Salt River bed heard the siren are at the moment inconclusive.
Tempe Town Lake holds one billion gallons
Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman told the media that is the water flow facing engineers. It was reportedly known 3 years ago that Tempe’s weather patterns were wearing away at the rubber. But nothing was done. By April 2009, the makers of Tempe Town Lake dam made a safety recommendation, but Tempe chose to ignore the warning.
Is this about washing Tempe’s homeless away?
While the alarm was sounded, currents reports are unclear as to what affect the Tempe Town Lake dam explosion had on the transient population. This could all just be mechanical failure and bureaucratic inaction. Yet it could possibly be the cost of homelessness makes this affair something entirely more fiscal in nature. Experts have found that it costs U.S. taxpayers almost $ 11 billion each year to help the chronically homeless. Forbes reports that that figure would descend to a more manageable $ 7.88 billion if the homeless were given permanent homes.
Low-cost housing is the life raft
According to AZCentral.com, there are as much as 8,000 homeless in Tempe’s Maricopa County each day. If those 8,000 people – only some of whom may live in the Salt River area near Tempe Town Lake – had homes, not only would the nation be saving money, but Maricopa County would reportedly conserve as much as 50 percent on emergency resources. If the Tempe Town Lake dam event moves more homeless individuals into permanent housing, something truly good will result from this minor civic disaster.
More information on this topic
philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/20100721_ap_rubberizeddambreaksatmanmadearizonalake.html
azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/2010/06/11/20100611tempe-homeless-outreach-united-way.html
forbes.com/2006/08/25/us-homeless-aid-cx_np_0828oxford.html
