Tyler Water Investigation Survey

Before We Start:

Read The Next Page's Short Description About Why I Created this Survey, and What Will be Asked Here.

🚰 WELCOME TO THE SURVEY
 
Welcome to the Tyler Water Quality Survey. This survey is brought to you by me, Erin Wheeler, head of the nonprofit investigation effort known as TRUTHH Corp and creator of the Tyler Water Investigation research initiative.
 
🗒️ WHY YOU’RE HERE
 
You are probably here because you’ve been following my posts on NextDoor. My efforts there have been primarily to help facilitate a community of concerned and adversely affected citizens to pool resources and share knowledge, in the eventual effort to discover if the serious health problems we are facing are a result of contaminants or byproducts in our tap water. I believe that it is; but belief is just a hypothesis. A starting point.
 
♟️MOVES AND COUNTERMOVES
 
Recently, we have made great strides in accomplishing one of our biggest communal goals, which was to test the water using an independant research lab who has an expertise in analyzing water.
 
With our water samples being tested as we speak, we now face another major hurdle in the wake of this exciting milestone. Unfortunately, the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant — as well as city officials responsible for our water quality (Such as Shane Wheeler and Kate Dietz) have gone out of their way to prevent this investigation from progressing.
 
Shane Wheeler (no relation) who manages the Lake Palestine Plant actively thwarted my attempts to obtain permission to sample the water directly from the plant.
 
I received anonymous, threatening phone calls and the police came to my door shortly after, telling me to stop publicly discussing this issue. Which is not legally something they’re allowed to enforce on my, because of the obvious constitutional violations inherent in their demands.
 
👩🏻‍⚖️ THE CITY’S PROBABLE PLAN
 
Just a few days after I had publicly posted on NextDoor that the water samples had been collected and were safely in the hands of the research labs, someone from the City started posting asking everyone to take a short survey about the quality of the pipes in Tyler.
 
My guess is that this is the city trying to get ahead of my investigation. They likely know what these tests will turn up, and I assume they think it’s going to be a big scandal. I assume this because they appear to be trying to put themselves in a position to be able to blame the pipes for our water problems.
 
🚿 THEY'RE GOING TO BLAME THE PIPES?
 
I believe they are going to try to blame the pipes for our problems. However, very few things can come from the actual pipes, in terms of water contaminants. Lead, heavy metals, and occasionally some microorganisms is pretty much the extent of what pipes can add to the equation — everything else would be coming from the plant.
 
Either chemicals they are not effectively removing from a contaminated surface source, or, disinfection by-products that they are actually creating right there at the plant.
 
In other words, either they’re not doing their job to remove problems that already exist in the lake water — or — the lake water is fine when it arrives and becomes toxic because the plant is allowing disinfection byproducts to amass through poor water treatment protocols.
 
Both can lead to rampant cancers and other health problems.
 
If I had to guess, I would say disinfection byproducts like THM and HAA are the most likely culprit when it comes to our health problems - which would be a problem that the water treatment plant itself is actually creating. It’s a bad look for them, for sure.
 
 
🤔 CAN THE PIPES ACTUALLY AFFECT THMs?
 
The interesting thing about THMs and HAAs specifically, is that they increase in concentration over the distance they travel.
 
For example, if the water at the plant leaves the plant with a THM concentration of 80 PPB (parts per billion) - which is the highest it can be before it exceeds the legal limit - it could in theory be at 120 PPB if it has to travel 50 miles or more through the pipe network.
 
I believe the plant knows I’m going to find high levels of THM. I believe they are going to make an argument that the water was fine when it left the plant, and that it’s the distance the water has to travel that is the problem.
 
But the distance the water has to travel is not enough to equate to any significant increases in THMs. Water that is treated in one city, and then sold and piped to another city — that’s when the difference starts to become a consideration.
 
But the distance the water travels to get to all the homes within the Lake Palestine Treatment Plant’s distribution network is not enough to be a factor in majorly elevated levels of THM.

😅 TL;DR
 
Long story short, the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant - in conjunction with city officials - are likely going to try to blame the pipe network for whatever water problems our lab tests turns up.
 
But fear not. If they attempt to make the argument — it’s a weak one, and would never hold up in court because the increase in THM over a given distance is a knowable, mathematically solvable thing.
 
It would just take one engineer to do the math to know exactly what levels THMs would have been at when the water left the plant, just by knowing the levels it was at from any other point in the city.
 
But so far, the cities response to this crisis and to my investigation has been questionable in terms of competence and certainly in terms of morality. So while blaming the pipes would be a very weak argument to make, I still believe this is the move they have lined up for us.
 
✊🏻 OUR RESPONSE
 
In an attempt to match their move, I have created my own survey, which I hope all of you will take. Please be as honest and accurate as possible.
 

🫂 SHARING IS CARING!
 
It would also help me build a stronger argument for us if you could share this survey with your neighbors or anyone you know who lives in Tyler or within the Lake Palestine Distribution System. If you are here from NextDoor, rest assured you're in their network. If you're sharing this survey with someone outside of Tyler, it's probably still in their network. If you can't find out for sure, contact me and I would be happy to check that for you. 
 
✍🏻 LEAVING YOUR PERSONAL INFO
 
If you don’t feel comfortable answering any question, it is ok to skip it. If there is a question you can’t skip, it’s because I have set it up that way and this is likely because the survey data would be useless without that response.
 
The reason you are being asked about your personal information, such as your name, birth year, and neighborhood, is because I would like to have an age range for this data, and might want the ability to plot out some of this data on a distribution of affects map at a later time.
 
Please answer the personal info portion if you feel comfortable. It will help me make the best argument for us if this goes into litigation.
 
 
Thanks so much for being here for this.
Stay safe, and stay curious! 💜✊🏻

Part 1: Demographic & Personal Info

Name:
Date of Birth
Gender
Female
Male
Other
I am answering for multiple genders in my household.
Neighborhood
Currently Living in Lower Smith County?  
 
(Tyler, and everything under Tyler as well as east and west of Tyler is considered Lower Smith County)
 
Yes
No
I’m Not Sure
Currently Living in Tyler?
Yes
No
If You Answered NO to the Last Question, Please Tell Us What City You Live In:
How Long Have You Lived Here?
Less than 5 Years
5 - 9 Years
10 - 14 Years
15 - 19 Years
20 - 24 Years
25 - 30 Years
More than 30 Years
Other
Please Specify:

Who Are You Answering This Survey For?

Meaning, when you are answering the questions about adverse health affects and various medical conditions and cancers:

Are you tallying up just the health problems you have had, or are you including the health problems of other people in your household too? Let us know here.

One Person (Myself)
One Person (Other than Myself)
Multiple People (Within My Household)
Multiple People (Outside of My Household)
I am Completing this Survey About My Child
I am Completing this Survey About My Children
Other
Please Specify:

Part 2: Health Issues

Have You or Someone You Live With Experienced Any of the Following Minor Adverse Health Effects:
��Skin Problems (Eczema, Dermatitis, Rosacea, Infections)
�� New or Worsening Depression/Anxiety
�� Dental Problems (Tooth Decay, Gum Disease, Canker Sores)
�� Unexplained Weight Gain
�� Unexplained Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
П��🏼 Trouble Conceiving
�� Digestive Issues
П��🏼 New or Worsening Allergies (Unrelated to Food)
П��🏼‍♀️ Undesirable Effect on Hair & Nails
�� Unexplained Cognitive Issues (Memory Loss, Brain Fog, Etc)
Other
Please Specify:
Have You or Someone You Live With Experienced Any of the Following Major Adverse Health Effects:
0%
0
��SKIN: Non-Cancer (Pathologies, Growths or Diseases of the Skin)
0%
0
��SKIN: Caner (Unexplained Cancer of the Skin)
0%
0
�� BREAST: Non-Cancer (Pathologies and Diseases of the Breasts, such as Breast Lumps)
0%
0
�� BREAST: Cancer (Cancer of the Breasts)
0%
0
��DIGESTIVE: Non-Cancer (Pathologies & Disease of the Stomach, Esophagus, & Mouth)
0%
0
��DIGESTIVE: Cancer (Cancer of the Stomach or Mouth, or Esophageal Cancer which is Unexplained by Lifestyle Choices)
0%
0
П��🏼REPRODUCTIVE: Non-Cancer (Growths or Diseases of the Ovaries, Uterus, Fallopian Tubes & Cervix. Ovarian Cysts, Endometriosis, Ectopic Pregnancy, Low Sperm Count - for Men - Etc)
0%
0
П��🏼REPRODUCTIVE: Cancer (Cancer of the Ovaries, Uterus, Fallopian Tubes & Cervix - for Women. Cancers of the Testes - for Men).
0%
0
�� URINARY: Non-Cancer (Pathologies & Diseases of the Bladder, Kidneys, Urinary Tract, Etc. Examples: Kidney Disease or Infections, UTIs, Kidney Stones, Incontinence Unexplained by Age or Health).
0%
0
�� URINARY: Cancer (Cancer of the Bladder, Kidneys, Urinary Tract, Etc).
0%
0
�� COLORECTAL: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Colon, Bowel, Rectum, Appendix, & Prostate. Examples: Appendicitis, Bowel Problems, Lower GI Ulcers, Unexplained Diarrhea)
0%
0
�� COLORECTAL: Cancer (Cancer of the Colon, Bowel, Rectum, Appendix, & Prostate)
0%
0
�� RESPIRATORY: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Lungs & Trachea)
0%
0
�� RESPIRATORY: Cancer (Cancer of the Lungs & Trachea Which are Unexplained by Lifestyle Choices)
0%
0
�� CARDIAC: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Heart, Circulatory System, Arteries & Blood. Examples: Growths Near the Heart, Unexplained Hypertension or Hypotension, Heart Arrhythmias, Arterial Degradation, as well as Unexplained Strokes, Heart Attacks, & Embolisms).
0%
0
�� CARDIAC: Cancer (Cancer of the Heart, Circulatory System, Arteries & Blood).
0%
0
�� NERVOUS SYSTEM: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Brain, Spine & Nerves. Examples: New or Worsening Migraines, Nerve Neuropathy, Memory Loss or Brain Fog, Growths or Cysts of the Brain, Growths on or in the Spine, Etc).
0%
0
�� NERVOUS SYSTEM: Cancer (Cancers of the Brain, Spine & Nerves).
0%
0
�� LIVER, SPLEEN, PANCREAS: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Liver, Spleen & Pancreas)
0%
0
�� LIVER, SPLEEN, PANCREAS: Cancer (Cancers of the Liver, Spleen & Pancreas - Unexplained by Lifestyle Choices)
0%
0
П��🏽 MUSCULOSKELETAL: Non-Cancer (Diseases, Growths & Pathologies of the Muscles or Bones. Examples: Loss of Bone Density Unexplained by Age or Other Disease, Bone Fragility, New or Worseing Arthritis Unexplained by Lifestyle, Muscle Weakness, Muscles Spasms, Etc)
0%
0
П��🏽 MUSCULOSKELETAL: Cancer (Cancer of the Muscles or Bones).
0%
0
😷 IMMUNE SYSTEM: Non-Cancer (Diseases of the Immune System). Examples: Autoimmune Conditions, Frequent or Persistent Infections, and Non-Communicable Immunodeficiency (if you’re not familiar with that last one, it means that you have a chronically compromised immune system which is NOT the result of a disease you caught, such as Hepatisis).
0%
0
�� IMMUNE SYSTEM: Cancer (Cancers of the Immune System, such as Leukemia)
0%
0
🎭 ENDOCRINE: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies of the Endocrine System, Including the Thyroid & Adrenal Glands. Examples: Hyperthyroidism or Hypothyroidism, Graves Disease, Hashimoto’s, Adrenal Growths, Adrenal Disfunction, Hypothalamus Conditions, and Unexplained Changes in Mood or Sleep Related to these Systems).
0%
0
�� ENDOCRINE: Cancer (Cancer of the Endocrine System, Including the Hypothalamus, Thyroid & Adrenal Glands).
0%
0
œ�🏻 OTHER: Non-Cancer (Diseases & Pathologies Not Listed Here)
0%
0
œ�🏻 OTHER: Cancer (Cancers Not Listed Here).
Other
Please Specify:
What is the Current Quality of Your Overall Health?
I’m Dying.I Feel Invincible!
Has Your Health Worsened Since You’ve Lived Here?
П��🏻 Yes, in a MINOR way.
П��🏻 Yes, in a MAJOR way.
П��🏻 No, it’s the SAME.
П��🏻 No, it has IMPROVED.
� I’m Not Sure
™�️ I Have Lived Here My Whole Life

The Next Section is a Place to Indicate Who Else You’re Answering For.



Why is this necessary?

 
For instance, if you have had breast lumps and your husband has had prostate cancer, if you’re answering for both of you on the health conditions section, it will be a little confusing when I go to interpret this data later.
 
If you think about it, it makes sense why it might be confusing. I won’t know that your answers here represent the health conditions of both a male and a female, so it will be unclear how one person could have both breast lumps and prostate cancer.



How Do I Tell You Who I'm Answering For?

 
So this next section lets you tell us if the answers you give in this survey reflect more than one person. It will give you a chance to list up to 3 additional people, not including yourself, who you will be taking this survey for.

 



What if I Don't Wanna Do All That?

Alternatively, you can take this survey once for each member of your household. If you choose to do it that way, you can skip the next questions asking you what people in your household you're answering for.

The Next Section is a Place to Indicate Who Else You’re Answering For.



Why is this necessary?

 
For instance, if you have had breast lumps and your husband has had prostate cancer, if you’re answering for both of you on the health conditions section, it will be a little confusing when I go to interpret this data later.
 
If you think about it, it makes sense why it might be confusing. I won’t know that your answers here represent the health conditions of both a male and a female, so it will be unclear how one person could have both breast lumps and prostate cancer.



How Do I Tell You Who I'm Answering For?

 
So this next section lets you tell us if the answers you give in this survey reflect more than one person. It will give you a chance to list up to 3 additional people, not including yourself, who you will be taking this survey for.

 



What if I Don't Wanna Do All That?

Alternatively, you can take this survey once for each member of your household. If you choose to do it that way, you can skip the next questions asking you what people in your household you're answering for.
Do You Plan to Fill Out This Survey Separately for Each Affected Person?
П��🏻 Yes, I intend to.
П��🏻 Yes, I already have.
П��🏻 No, I’m the only one with health problems
П��🏻 No, I’m going to combine household’s health problems here
�I haven’t decided yet

Please tell us about the members of your household who you believe have experienced health problems due to living in Tyler.

(Which we believe may be due to our water here).



Who NOT to Include in this Survey:

If people in your family have health problems which are easily explainable, such as lung cancer after 30 years of excessive smoking, you should omit their conditions from this survey, and you do not need to include their information below.
 

Who You CAN Include in this Survey:

 
For those with unexplained or poorly-explained health conditions, such as lung cancer in a young adult who has never smoked, please include their information in this survey, or you may also re-take the surgery using their information instead.
 


Taking This Survey for Multiple Family Members:

 
Taking this survey once for each affected member of your household who you believe should be represented by this survey is a good idea.
 
The more clear the data is, the better I will be able to represent our case in future legal applications. So, if you have the time to complete this surgery multiple times, one for each effected member of your household, it would help me make better sense of the data.
 
However, if you have already answered this survey in way that represents multiple people in your household, that's ok too. Simply include their demographic info below.



What Is Included in this Section:

 
Demographic Info:
Please Give the Name, Age & Gender of Everyone You Are Answering For.

Familial Relationship:
Such As Husband, Daughter, Mother, Sister
 
When Multiple People are Included in This Survey:
Tell Us if These Family Member's Health Conditions Are Included Here.
 
When Only One Person is Included in This Survey:
Tell Us if You Have (or Plan to) Fill Out a Survey Seperatly for them.
 
Alternatively, If Only One Person's Health is Represented by Your Answers Here, You Can Also Just Skip this Part.
 
People You're Answering For:

 
Name (Optional)
Age
Relationship to You
Gender
Person #1
Person #2
Person #3

Section 2

Part 3: Water Observations

Which of the Following SMELLS Have You Observed in your Tap Water?
�� Fishy
�� Fruity
�� Eggy
П��🏻‍♀️ Pool / Chlorine
�� Rotten / Rancid
�� Lake / Geosmin
�� Chemical
�� Metallic
� None of These
П��🏼 Never Smelled
Other
Please Specify:
Which of the Following TASTES Have You Observed in your Tap Water?
�� Fishy
�� Fruity
�� Sour
П��🏻‍♀️ Pool / Chlorine
�� Rotten / Rancid
�� Lake / Geosmin
�� Chemical
�� Metallic
� None of These
�� Never Tasted
Other
Please Specify:

What COLOR Changes Have You Observed in Your Tap Water?

�� Greenish Tint
�� Blueish Tint
�� Brownish Tint
�� Yellowish Tint
� None of These
П��️ I’ve Never Looked
Other
Please Specify:
Which of the Following Describes How the Tap Water FEELS?
 
(Think about the way the water feels on your skin and hair when you shower)
�� Slimey
�� Caustic (Like Bleach)
�� Sticky
�� Soapy
�� Abrasive
�� Hard
�� Soft
� None of These
П��🏻 I’ve Never Felt It
Other
Please Specify:
How Often Does the Water SMELL Bad?
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
I’ve Never Noticed
How Often Does the Water TASTE Bad?
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
I’ve Never Tasted It
Any Other SMELL or TASTE Observations?
How Often Does the Water COLOR Change?
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
I’ve Never Noticed
Any Other VISUAL Observations?
How Often Does the Water FEEL Bad?
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
I’ve Never Felt It (I Have a Shower/Sink Filter)
I’ve Never Noticed
Any Other TOUCH Observations?

Opinion Section: Overview


The Next Section Will Survey Your Opinions.

The point of this section is to determine what your overall impression is of the quality of our tap water, of the people who manage it, and of the municipal officials who are supposed to be overseeing it's quality. 


If you've ever said:

 
"I suspect the city has been up to no good for the last 5 years"
Or
"I have always trusted the water here, it's fine!"
Or
"I believe they've known our water was bad for a long time"
 
That's exactly the kind of opinion I'm looking for here.

Part 4: Water Quality

What Is Your Overall Opinion of Our Water Quality?
П��🏻 It’s the Nectar of Angels!
П��🏻 I Think it’s High Quality & Safe!
П��🏻 It’s Probably Fine?
П��🏻 It Has it’s Moments!
П��🏻 I Have Some Concerns…
П��🏻 It’s Just a Little Gross
П��🏻 It’s Bad; Definitely Don’t Drink It
П��🏻 It’s Toxic; I Don’t Even Like Washing Clothes in it!
П��🏻 DO NOT GO NEAR THE WATER!
Other
Please Specify:
What is Your Overall Opinion of Our City’s Water Treatment?
П��🏻 Such Perfection!
П��🏻 It’s Doing the Job!
П��🏻No Problems Here!
П��🏻 I Hope it’s Ok?
П��🏻 Look. It’s Good Enough
П��🏻 It’s a Travesty and a Crime
П��🏻 Just Total Incompetence
П��🏻 THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’VE DONE!
Other
Please Specify:
The Next 2 Questions are Mandatory.
Do You Ever Drink The Tap Water?
(Without Filtering It)
П��🏻 Yes: Once or Twice
П��🏻 Yes: Sometimes
П��🏻 Yes: Often
П��🏻 Yes: Always
П��🏻 No: Never
П��🏻 No: I Used to, But Stopped
Other
Please Specify:
If You Said “I Used to Drink the Water” On the Last Question, Tell Us More:
 
  • How long you drank it for (in years)
  • How frequently you drank it
  • Why you stopped drinking it
  • When you stopped drinking it

If you never drank the water, or, you still currently drink the water, you can just type N/A in the field below.
 
You may also use this space to tell us anything else you'd like us to know about your history with drinking the tap water.
Part 5: Municipal Officials
Do you trust the people in charge of your water?
What is your Overall Opinion of our Director of Utilities, Kate Dietz?
П�� She’s an ANGEL who can do no wrong!
�� She seems pretty good.
�� She does the job she was hired to do.
П�� She’s alright I guess.
П�� She’s kind of incompetent.
�� She let us all get E Coli!!
�� I do NOT trust her.
�� %$&#@&#!
�� Who?
�� No Comment.
Other
Please Specify:
What is your Overall Opinion of our Water Treatment Plant Manager, Shane Wheeler?
П�� He’s a HERO who can do no wrong!
�� He seems pretty good.
�� He does the job he was hired to do.
П�� He’s alright I guess.
П�� He’s clearly incompetent.
П�� He’s trying to stop our investigation!
�� I do NOT trust him.
�� %$&#@&#!
�� Who?
�� No Comment.
Other
Please Specify:
What is your Overall Opinion of our Water Tester (Lab Analyst), Isaac "Trey" Reeves?
 

 
CONTEXT: Professional

 - Trey's job is to regularly test the water for basic contaminants, like bacteria
 - He is employed by The City of Tyler
 - He reports his results to the EPA
 - He does this largely un-checked, on the honor system
 - The only oversight he has to ensure honesty is Shane Wheeler
 
 
CONTEXT: Personal
 
 - Trey has multiple aliases and fake accounts on NextDoor
 - He uses those accounts to anonymously comment to my posts about our water
 - He uses other fake accounts to reply to his own comments and agree with them
 - He makes claims about our research that are unfounded and misleading 
П�� He’a an HERO who can do no wrong!
�� He seems pretty good.
�� He does the job he was hired to do.
П�� He’s alright I guess.
П�� He’s kind of incompetent.
�� He is acting so sketchy!!
�� I do NOT trust him.
�� %$&#@&#!
�� Who?
�� No Comment.
Other
Please Specify:
What is your Overall Opinion of our Water Treatment Plant, the Lake Palestine WTP?
П�� It’s WORLD CLASS!
�� It seems pretty good.
�� It does the job it was made to do.
П�� It’s alright I guess.
�� It clearly needs an overhaul.
�� They are not being cooperative!
�� I do NOT trust that place.
�� %$&#@&#!
�� Never heard of it.
�� No Comment.
Other
Please Specify:
I Believe the Water Treatment Plant is to Blame for all of our water quality issues.
П��🏻 Strongly Agree
П��🏻 Agree
П��🏻 Somewhat Agree
œ�🏻Neutral
П��🏻 Somewhat Disagree
П��🏻 Disagree
П��🏻 Strongly Disagree
П��🏻I’m Unsure
Other
Please Specify:
I Believe our The City Officials are to Blame for all of our water quality issues.
П��🏻 Strongly Agree
П��🏻 Agree
П��🏻 Somewhat Agree
œ�🏻Neutral
П��🏻 Somewhat Disagree
П��🏻 Disagree
П��🏻 Strongly Disagree
П��🏻I’m Unsure
Other
Please Specify:
I Blame Everyone Who is Involved in Our Tap Water: The entire system is corrupt! Everyone is complicit!!
П��🏻 Strongly Agree
П��🏻 Agree
П��🏻 Somewhat Agree
œ�🏻Neutral
П��🏻 Somewhat Disagree
П��🏻 Disagree
П��🏻 Strongly Disagree
П��🏻I’m Unsure
Other
Please Specify:
I don't blame everyone - just a few bad actors (a plant manager, a city official, etc). I do NOT believe the city or the water treatment plant is responsible as a whole.
П��🏻 Strongly Agree
П��🏻 Agree
П��🏻 Somewhat Agree
œ�🏻Neutral
П��🏻 Somewhat Disagree
П��🏻 Disagree
П��🏻 Strongly Disagree
П��🏻I’m Unsure
Other
Please Specify:
Part 6: How Much do you Trust Our Municipal Authorities?
Do You Trust that the Municipal Oversight of Our Tap Water is Honest & Thorough
�� Of course I do! Our government is full of upstanding people!
�� I mostly trust them. Enough to sleep at night, anyway.
П�� I used to, but I’m not sure anymore.
П��‍💫 I don’t know what to think.
П�� They’re not malicious - just incompetent.
�� They are liars and criminals!!
П�� Trust them?? They’re trying to kill us!
�� No comment.
Other
Please Specify:
How Much Do You Trust Erin Wheeler & the ETX Water Watch Community (Our Private Group On NextDoor).
 
*It is okay to skip this question if you'd rather not say. 🙂
Don’t TrustI trust her with my life!
Give Us Your Thoughts on the City’s Management & Oversight of Our Water.



 
Here's some things you can touch on:
  • Is the city doing a good job?
    • Why?
 
  • Do you trust the city to do right by you?
    • Why or Why Not?
 
  • Is there any specific things that made you gain or lose trust in them?
    • What were some of those things?
I Believe our City Officials When They Tell Us the Water is "safe to drink"
П��🏻 Strongly Agree
П��🏻 Agree
П��🏻 Somewhat Agree
œ�🏻Neutral
П��🏻 Somewhat Disagree
П��🏻 Disagree
П��🏻 Strongly Disagree
П��🏻I’m Unsure
Other
Please Specify:
SHORT ANSWER:
Give Us Your Thoughts Below


Question:
 
Do you trust our city officials when they tell us that there is a problem, but the water is still safe to drink?


Things You Can Write About:
 
Here's some ideas of what to touch on:
  • Do you trust them when they say that?
    • Why or Why Not?
 
  • Do you trust the city to tell you if there is a problem?
    • Why or Why Not?
    • What if it telling us the truth was a real headache for them - would they still be honest?
    • What if telling us the truth would mean they have to spend a lot of money? Would they be honest then?
    • What if telling us the truth could impact their status or job - would they be honest then?
 
  • Is there any specific things that made you gain or lose trust in them?
    • What were some of those things?


Assuming you do NOT trust the city to be honest about our water quality:
  • Is there anything the city could have done to build your trust back?
  • Is there anything they could do now?
  • Did one thing in particular make you believe they were deceptive?
How Trustworthy are our Municipal Officials?

This includes:
 
  • The Mayor
  • The Department of Utilities
  • The Director of Utilities
  • The Local Government in General
Don’t TrustFully Trust
How Trustworthy is our Utilities Department?


This is not the same thing as the utility company that you get your water bill from. They really have almost nothing to do with your water quality - theyr'e just the people who own the pipes in your area. The Utilities Department is part of the Tyler Municipal Government.
 
  • Our Utilities Department Director (Head Hancho) is Kate Dietz.
Don’t TrustFully Trust
How Trustworthy is our Water Treatment Plant?
 


Our primary water treatment plant is the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant on Noonday Road.
Don’t TrustFully Trust
How Trustworthy are our Water Treatment Plant Authorities?
 


This includes the plant managers, oversight officials for the plant, the TWDB who sets the budget for the plant, etc.
 
  • Our Water Treatment Plant Manager is Shane Wheeler.
  • Our Main Water Treatment Plant is Lake Palestine WTP.
Don’t TrustFully Trust
How Trustworthy is our Water Treatment Plant Lab Analyst?
 

 
What is a Water Treatment Plant Lab Testing Official?
  • This is the person who was hired to sample & test the water regularly.
  • They're report to the EPA but they work for the City of Tyler.
  • Our Lab Testing Official is Isaac "Trey" Reeves.
  • The EPA only knows what this one person tells them.
 
Don’t TrustFully Trust
Tell us anything else you’d like to say on this topic:

Water Habits & Exposure Level



This section is intended to learn how you interact with the tap water, how much you use it, and in general what your level of exposure to it is.
 
Part 7: Water Habbits
 
The Next Questions Cover: How Do You Use Tap Water in Daily Life?
How Often Do You Shower?
П��🚿🚿 Multiple Times a Day
�� Once a Day
П��🚿 Once a Day - But Twice if I Get Sweaty
П��️🗓️🗓️ Every Other Day
П��️🗓️ Every Couple of Days
П��️ Once or Twice a Week
П��🏼‍♀️ Only When the Flies Show Up
П��🏻 I Don’t Shower - I Only Bathe
Other
Please Specify:
When You Shower: How Hot Do You Like Your Water?
�� SCALDING!
�� Hot
П��🔥 Hot - and Even Hotter in the Winter
™�️ Warm
П��🏻‍♀️ Room Temperature
��Cool
�� COLD!
П��🏻 I Don’t Shower - I Only Bathe
Other
Please Specify:
On Average, How Long are Your Showers? (In Minutes)
1 Minute or Less2 or More Hours
How Often Do You take a Bath?
П��🛁🛁 Multiple Times a Day
�� Once a Day
П��🛀🏻 Once a Day - But Twice if I Get Sweaty
П��️🗓️🗓️ Every Other Day
П��️🗓️ Every Couple of Days
П��️ Once or Twice a Week
�� Occasionally - Just to Relax
П��🏼‍♀️ Only When the Flies Show Up
П�� I Don’t Bathe - I Only Shower
Other
Please Specify:
When You Take a Bath: How Hot Do You Like Your Water?
�� SCALDING!
�� Hot
П��🔥 Hot - and Even Hotter in the Winter
™�️ Warm
П��🏻‍♀️ Room Temperature
��Cool
�� COLD!
П��🏻 I Don’t Bathe - I Only Shower
Other
Please Specify:
On Average, How Long are Your Baths? (In Minutes)
1 Minute or Less2 or More Hours
Part 8: Your Water Use Activities
Check All That Apply:
Activities You Do At Least ONCE A WEEK
 
Hand Wash Dishes
Wash Your Hands
Shower or Bathe
Bathe Children or Pets
Open the Dishwasher on Auto Reheat Cycle
Use a Humidifier (with unfiltered water)
Drink Tap Water
Drink Water from a Fridge
Use Ice From Ice Maker
Make Ice Using Tap Water
Swim or Use Hot Tub
Stand in a Steamy Room (like after a shower)
Remove Wet Clothes from the Washing Machine
Boil Water for Cooking
Wash a Car or Water the Lawn
None of These
Other
Please Specify:
Check All That Apply:
Activities You Do ONCE A DAY
 
Hand Wash Dishes
Wash Your Hands
Shower or Bathe
Bathe Children or Pets
Open the Dishwasher on Auto Reheat Cycle
Use a Humidifier (with unfiltered water)
Drink Tap Water
Drink Water from a Fridge
Use Ice From Ice Maker
Make Ice Using Tap Water
Swim or Use Hot Tub
Stand in a Steamy Room (like after a shower)
Remove Wet Clothes from the Washing Machine
Wash a Car or Water the Lawn
Boil Water for Cooking
None of These
Check All That Apply:
Activities You Do MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY
 
Hand Wash Dishes
Wash Your Hands
Shower or Bathe
Bathe Children or Pets
Use a Humidifier (with unfiltered water)
Swim or Use Hot Tub
Stand in a Steamy Room (like after a shower)
Remove Wet Clothes from the Washing Machine
Wash a Car or Water the Lawn
Boil Water for Cooking
None of These
Other
Please Specify:
Check All That Apply:
Activities You Do For At Least 30 MINUTES, EACH TIME
 
Hand Wash Dishes
Wash Your Hands (Cumulatively)
Shower or Bathe
Bathe Children or Pets
Use a Humidifier (with unfiltered water)
Swim or Use Hot Tub
Stand in a Steamy Room (like after a shower)
Remove Wet Clothes from the Washing Machine
Wash a Car or Water the Lawn
Steam Clean Carpets
Steam Iron Clothing
Boil Water for Cooking
Stand Over Steaming Food or Boiling Water
None of These
Other Activities
What Kind of Filtration System Do You Have - If Any? (Check All That Apply)
Pitcher Filter (Brita, Pur, Berkey)
Fridge Filter (For Water & Ice)
Faucet Filter (Sink)
Faucet Filter (Shower)
Faucet Filter (Bath)
Multiple Faucet Filters
Under-Sink Filter
Multiple Under-Sink Filters
High End POU Filter (RO)
Multiple High End POU Filters (RO)
Whole House: Activated Carbon
Whole House: KDF Media (Sediment)
Whole House: UV Filter
Whole House: H2GO
Whole House: Ionizing Filtration
Whole House: Ozone
Whole House: Combination of These
NONE: I Have No Filtration Systems
Other
Please Specify:
If You Already Have a Filtration System, How Long Have You Had It?
1 Year or LessMore Than 20 Years
If You DON'T Have a Whole-House Filtration System, How Many Points of Use Are Unprotected in Your House?
 
 

POU - Point of Use:
 
Includes Any of the Following Tap Water Use Points in Your Home
  • Each Sink Faucet (Count Each One)
  • Any Bathtub Faucet (Count Each One)
  • Any Shower (Count Each Shower Head)
  • Garden Hoses (Count Each)
  • Sprinklers (if kids play in them)
  • Washing Machines (Probably Just 1 Per Home)
  • Dishwashers (Probably Just 1 Per Home)
  • Refridgerators (Count Each)
1 POU or Less50 or More POU
Part 9: Response to Problem
 
How Will You Proceed if the Water Turns Out to Be Dangerous?
What Kind of Filtration System Do You Think You Might Purchase in the Future - If Any? (Check All That Apply)
Pitcher Filter (Brita, Pur, Berkey)
Fridge Filter (For Water & Ice)
Faucet Filter (Sink)
Faucet Filter (Shower)
Faucet Filter (Bath)
Multiple Faucet Filters
Under-Sink Filter
Multiple Under-Sink Filters
High End POU Filter (RO)
Multiple High End POU Filters (RO)
Whole House: Activated Carbon
Whole House: KDF Media (Sediment)
Whole House: UV Filter
Whole House: H2GO
Whole House: Ionizing Filtration
Whole House: Ozone
Whole House: Combination of These
NONE: I Don’t Need a Filtration System
Other
Please Specify:

Assuming the Water Tests Come Back Positive for Contaminants:

 

What Do You Think the City Should Have to Do In Order to Make Up For What They've Done?

 
 
*NOTE: This is an important legal question that will help me take this court in a way that satisfies everyone effected.



What Does The City Owe You?
 This Includes the Following Damages Claims:
 
  • Your Out-Of-Pocket Cost for Filter Units
  • Your Health Deterioration, Cancers, & Any Medical Conditions
  • Your Medical Bills, Hospital, Medication Costs, Etc
  • Funeral /Burial Costs
  • Loss of Job or Livlihood
  • Pregnancy or Child Birth Problems (Miscarriage, Birth Defect, Etc)
  • Loss of Full Reproductive Capacity (Ovaries, Uterus, Breaste, Testes)
  • Your Personal Losses (Financial)
  • Your Emotional Losses (Distress)
They Should Pay For Everybody’s Filtration System
They Should Cut Everyone a Small Check for Partial Costs
They Should Apologize Publicly
They Should Personally Apologize to Those With Cancer & Serious Health Conditions
They Should Fire Everyone Who Could’ve Prevented This Water Quality Crisis
They Should Have to Spend a Month in a Swimming Pool of their Own Water
They Should Cut Our Utilities Bill Significantly
They Should Call Their Lawyers. We Will See Them in Court.
They Should Prepare for a PR Nightmare - We’re Going to the Press
They Should Probably Just Move. They Can’t Fix This & We Won’t Get Over it.
They Don’t Need to Do Anything. These Things Happen.
Other
Please Specify:

What's in this Section?



Resources:

Here we will leave you with some helpful resources, as well as my contact info.

 

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RESOURCES:
Erin's Investigative Research Website

 
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Erin Wheeler

Contact Info

📲 Cell Phone:  (903) 222-5366
📧 Email:  mailto:[email protected]
📠 Fax:  (469) 523-8268

Erin Wheeler

Contact Info

📲 Cell Phone:  (903) 222-5366
📧 Email:  mailto:[email protected]
📠 Fax:  (469) 523-8268
Optional: Your Phone Number
Optional: Your Email Address
Optional: Your Mailing Address
Optional: Your Website or Social Profile
Any Last Thoughts Before You Go?
{"name":"Tyler Water Investigation Survey", "url":"https://www.supersurvey.com/QPREVIEW","txt":"Welcome to the Tyler Water Quality Survey. This survey is brought to you by me, Erin Wheeler, head of the nonprofit investigation effort known as TRUTHH Corp and creator of the Tyler Water Investigation research initiative.   🗒️ WHY YOU’RE HERE   You are probably here because you’ve been following my posts on NextDoor. My efforts there have been primarily to help facilitate a community of concerned and adversely affected citizens to pool resources and share knowledge, in the eventual effort to discover if the serious health problems we are facing are a result of contaminants or byproducts in our tap water. I believe that it is; but belief is just a hypothesis. A starting point.   ♟️MOVES AND COUNTERMOVES   Recently, we have made great strides in accomplishing one of our biggest communal goals, which was to test the water using an independant research lab who has an expertise in analyzing water.   With our water samples being tested as we speak, we now face another major hurdle in the wake of this exciting milestone. Unfortunately, the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant — as well as city officials responsible for our water quality (Such as Shane Wheeler and Kate Dietz) have gone out of their way to prevent this investigation from progressing.   Shane Wheeler (no relation) who manages the Lake Palestine Plant actively thwarted my attempts to obtain permission to sample the water directly from the plant.   I received anonymous, threatening phone calls and the police came to my door shortly after, telling me to stop publicly discussing this issue. Which is not legally something they’re allowed to enforce on my, because of the obvious constitutional violations inherent in their demands.   👩🏻‍⚖️ THE CITY’S PROBABLE PLAN   Just a few days after I had publicly posted on NextDoor that the water samples had been collected and were safely in the hands of the research labs, someone from the City started posting asking everyone to take a short survey about the quality of the pipes in Tyler.   My guess is that this is the city trying to get ahead of my investigation. They likely know what these tests will turn up, and I assume they think it’s going to be a big scandal. I assume this because they appear to be trying to put themselves in a position to be able to blame the pipes for our water problems.   🚿 THEY'RE GOING TO BLAME THE PIPES?   I believe they are going to try to blame the pipes for our problems. However, very few things can come from the actual pipes, in terms of water contaminants. Lead, heavy metals, and occasionally some microorganisms is pretty much the extent of what pipes can add to the equation — everything else would be coming from the plant.   Either chemicals they are not effectively removing from a contaminated surface source, or, disinfection by-products that they are actually creating right there at the plant.   In other words, either they’re not doing their job to remove problems that already exist in the lake water — or — the lake water is fine when it arrives and becomes toxic because the plant is allowing disinfection byproducts to amass through poor water treatment protocols.   Both can lead to rampant cancers and other health problems.   If I had to guess, I would say disinfection byproducts like THM and HAA are the most likely culprit when it comes to our health problems - which would be a problem that the water treatment plant itself is actually creating. It’s a bad look for them, for sure.     🤔 CAN THE PIPES ACTUALLY AFFECT THMs?   The interesting thing about THMs and HAAs specifically, is that they increase in concentration over the distance they travel.   For example, if the water at the plant leaves the plant with a THM concentration of 80 PPB (parts per billion) - which is the highest it can be before it exceeds the legal limit - it could in theory be at 120 PPB if it has to travel 50 miles or more through the pipe network.   I believe the plant knows I’m going to find high levels of THM. I believe they are going to make an argument that the water was fine when it left the plant, and that it’s the distance the water has to travel that is the problem.   But the distance the water has to travel is not enough to equate to any significant increases in THMs. Water that is treated in one city, and then sold and piped to another city — that’s when the difference starts to become a consideration.   But the distance the water travels to get to all the homes within the Lake Palestine Treatment Plant’s distribution network is not enough to be a factor in majorly elevated levels of THM. 😅 TL;DR   Long story short, the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant - in conjunction with city officials - are likely going to try to blame the pipe network for whatever water problems our lab tests turns up.   But fear not. If they attempt to make the argument — it’s a weak one, and would never hold up in court because the increase in THM over a given distance is a knowable, mathematically solvable thing.   It would just take one engineer to do the math to know exactly what levels THMs would have been at when the water left the plant, just by knowing the levels it was at from any other point in the city.   But so far, the cities response to this crisis and to my investigation has been questionable in terms of competence and certainly in terms of morality. So while blaming the pipes would be a very weak argument to make, I still believe this is the move they have lined up for us.   ✊🏻 OUR RESPONSE   In an attempt to match their move, I have created my own survey, which I hope all of you will take. Please be as honest and accurate as possible.   🫂 SHARING IS CARING!   It would also help me build a stronger argument for us if you could share this survey with your neighbors or anyone you know who lives in Tyler or within the Lake Palestine Distribution System. If you are here from NextDoor, rest assured you're in their network. If you're sharing this survey with someone outside of Tyler, it's probably still in their network. If you can't find out for sure, contact me and I would be happy to check that for you.    ✍🏻 LEAVING YOUR PERSONAL INFO   If you don’t feel comfortable answering any question, it is ok to skip it. If there is a question you can’t skip, it’s because I have set it up that way and this is likely because the survey data would be useless without that response.   The reason you are being asked about your personal information, such as your name, birth year, and neighborhood, is because I would like to have an age range for this data, and might want the ability to plot out some of this data on a distribution of affects map at a later time.   Please answer the personal info portion if you feel comfortable. It will help me make the best argument for us if this goes into litigation.     Thanks so much for being here for this. Stay safe, and stay curious! 💜✊🏻","img":"https://www.supersurvey.com/3012/CDN/95-4638282/img-9647.jpg?sz=1200-01502000000718805300"}
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