Breach at Water Tank Shows Vulnerabilities

This story got a lot of attention here at SWO Mecca, but didn't break into the national news:

Jim Sawyer already had brushed his teeth, taken a shower and had a cup of coffee by the time he learned that the water flowing into his Blackstone home might have been contaminated.

Authorities allege that three teenagers had broken into the water storage facility, about 55 miles southwest of Boston, after cutting barbed wire and slicing the lines to an alarm.

"I didn't think it was that easy to get at our water supply," said Sawyer, 21.

Authorities ruled out terrorism, but the breach in the town of 9,000 highlighted the vulnerabilities of municipal water supplies and showcased the fears of terrorism in towns big and small.

Those of you visiting from Smalltown, USA, might want to ask some hard questions of your local governments in the near future.