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John Hollenhorst ReportingOver the last year, KSL's I-Team has broken several stories about police getting sick and dying, possibly from exposure to chemicals used in illegal meth labs. Now, a different category of public employees is getting concerned and they're offering to help.
Drug lab busts are declining in recent years, but still, Utah police officers find one about once a week and cleanup crews go in like they're prepared for a space mission. So, what about workers who might get exposed to the chemicals without protective suits?
It's one of those dirty jobs somebody has to do -- inspecting the sewers. At least Cody Cowdell gets to do it with a TV camera on a snake, instead of going in there himself. But inevitably, he's in close enough contact to be concerned about whatever is in the sewer.
Cody Cowdell: "South Valley Sewer District: "Yeah, I'm concerned, it deals with my health."
He's one of the utility workers who gathered for a presentation on illegal meth labs. He's concerned about what chemicals crooks might flush down a toilet, where a pipe would take it to the places where Cowdell pokes his camera.
Cody Cowdell, South Valley Sewer District: "So I'm just concerned with what's going down there, if it's going to be harmful to me, what to do with it."
The police presentation was for water and sewer workers, engineers and inspectors.
Ryan Johnson, White City Water Improvement District: "Basically you know, we're out there every day. We go house to house. We're in people's yards. We're dealing with the utilities."
Since KSL's I-Team exposed the issue, meth lab raids have led to formal health claims by at least 50 police officers in the Salt Lake Valley. Scientific investigations are only beginning, but many officers suspect the illegal chemicals caused their cancers and other ailments.
Rhonda Withers, White City Water Improvement District: "We feel that the water industry and sewer industry is long overdue for this type of training."
A side benefit is that utility workers may be able to help police.
Ryan Johnson: "We'll be the eyes out there. So whatever we see we can report and let them take it from there. It'll make a huge difference."
They say the biggest value in the training is communication; getting agencies to share what they know so they can help each other and protect themselves.
