Water project needs scrapped

Running water is a convenience many people take for granted. But some residents of Athens and Meigs counties rely on wells, water springs or small reserves for their water supply.

The Tupper Plains-Chester Water District is planning a project that will construct 200 miles of pipeline to provide water service to areas that do not have one. But the costs outweigh the benefits.

Originally, the project was to install enough pipeline to service 500 people. Local residents balked at the $84 monthly bills, for 3,000 gallons of water, that would help pay for construction. Through a survey, residents said the most they would pay for such a service is $35 a month.

Instead of finding other funding sources beside state loans and a state grant, the water district decided to restrict service to 280 residents. The planners showed consideration when decreasing the monthly bill, but the result is decreased service that will reach the more populous areas and will neglect the secluded.

The logistics of the decision make sense, but the project still is too costly to service fewer than 300 people, residents who might not even want the service anyway. They should not have to pay for something they would be just as happy getting for free from wells.

When resident interest is high and people are willing and able to pay the cost of installing an entire water system, planners should go ahead with the project. But they should not begin construction that will take years and millions of dollars if only a few will benefit.

Though common, running water is a privilege, not a necessity. Until residents and developers have enough money to begin a feasible project, they should not start something so costly.

U.S. fails to help Islamic pilgrims

Because of bomb-damaged runways in the U.S. military-controlled airport at Kandahar, many Afghans cannot go on the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca for which they saved and planned for years.

The Afghan government had taken $1,600 each from more than 4,000 would-be pilgrims for a “hajj package.” Because authorities announced Saturday no pilgrim flights could leave the Kandahar airport, the money had to be refunded. But the returned money could not make up for the hurt and disappointment in not being able to go on the holy trip.

Though the United States is not the sole party to blame in the trip cancellations, the military should have planned ahead to make sure pilgrims could reach their destination. It could have provided the Muslims transportation to Kabul or other airports from which passenger planes still are flying.

The government should have known the hajj was coming and repaired the airport before the window of time pilgrims have to reach Mecca closed. The airport is key for future infrastructure and will have to be fixed sometime.

The pilgrimage is a duty for all Muslims, though they are not obligated to go if they do not have the resources. But this is not the case — these Muslims made many sacrifices to make sure they fulfilled one of the five pillars of Islam. To have their plans dashed by the United States and new Afghan government is a disgrace.

To prove cultural sensitivity and a respect for Islam, the United States should not have played the blame game and instead should have taken extra steps to help Muslims reroute their pilgrimage. Preventing Muslims from performing their religious duties gives them more reason to resent the United States and fight back for their beliefs.