Why is the city putting caustic soda in water?

In reading the Clark Fork news in the Bee, the question again comes up why are we adding caustic soda to our drinking water? In fact, what is caustic soda? Look on a can of lye used to clean sink drains — caustic soda. What is the man ingredient in a gunsmith's tanks to clean gun barrels and parts before bluing? Caustic soda.

To amalgamate gold, first put in a goodly dose of caustic soda in the amalgam barrel along with the black sand and gold. This will eat up organic oils and any tarnish on the gold before adding mercury. I've complained over and over about this to Bill Hays, but to no avail. I guess it's needed to keep the tanks and irons pipes from corroding. I have to spend hundreds of dollars the last three or four years on bottled water as my stomach will not the Clark Fork water.

Why do they keep putting this poison in the water, to keep the tanks clean? Well, Clark Fork, drink up. Salut.

DALE MILLER

Clark Fork