Springfield Updates on Water Meters Using 'Misleading' Graphics, Outdated Information
BY JEFF SKINNER
SPRINGFIELD - Prior to the city commission meeting, the Springfield City Service Department presented an update for how the city is progressing along the path of SMART meter upgrades to the water meters across the city. The report was noted for containing misleading information pertaining to EMF emissions of the meters and what is most likely the root cause of the meter upgrade.
According to the presentation by Springfield city Service director Chris Moore, the city of Springfield is nearly halfway complete with the upgrade project to convert the city’s water meters from analog meters to SMART wireless broadcasting meters in resident’s homes. According to Moore, the city has currently replaced 11586 meters with 11900 remaining to be replaced. However, during his report to the city commission, Moore attempted to address concerns from citizens, specifically pertaining to the radiation that will be emitted by the devices into residents homes. Moore’s power point contained an info graph that provided a misleading idea of the radiation emissions from SMART water meters inside resident’s homes.
While Moore attempted to explain the info graph on the bottom right as comparing emissions between common household devices, he failed to reveal where the infographic originated from or accurately represent the studies citied at the bottom to justify his claim.
The infographic itself has been used in multiple municipal areas, more specifically, the city of Petaluma, in Sonoma County California. The city used the infographic to also attempt to assuage public fears regarding the radiation emissions of SMART water meters, though the conversion to the SMART meter upgrades was outlined as an effective climate change action as outlined in their "Blueprint for Climate Action."
The city cites the source to the City of Santa Barbara, which ultimately hyperlinks the source to the FCC itself.
The FCC website has removed the hyperlinked page in question, which may have been a result of multiple lawsuits over the failure of the FCC to update its regulations pertaining to EMF emissions from modern 5G devices.
The main issue of the infographic is the use of misleading studies completely disconnected from the conversation Moore was presenting to the City Commission. The studies cited at the bottom of the image do not actually look at the health risks or dangers of EMF, specifically RF radiation from SMART water meters, that would be emitted by these devices in residents in homes.
Rather, the first 'study', is a 3-4 page PDF from Florida Power and Light, that attempts to argue that radiofrequency devices used by the State of Florida comply with the FCC regulations pertaining to maximum exposure. The 'study' was a survey conducted by a third party energy contractor called 'SiteSafe' that compared Radio frequency emissions from standard electric SMART meters mounted outside homes, roughly 30 feet above ground. This study is not only completely disconnected from the type of device being installed in Springfield residents homes, some of which close to where children may play, but it is also connecting exposure emissions to the outdated FCC measurements they were successfully sued for and court ordered to stop using.
The second study referenced in the graphic is, again, a study of one specific model of electric SMART meter used for outdoors conducted by a third party energy company, again, not measuring radiation and EMF exposure risks for indoor water meters inside homes and arguing they meet the now removed FCC regulations they have been court ordered to update.
It is unclear if the graphic was used in ignorance, but it's usage is, in fact, dangerous to the public, as it misleads residents using faulty and outdated information pertaining to their families health and wellbeing. It would seem an obtuse idea, if the image usage was intentional, that one device is interchangeable in its health impact to another based solely on definition category and not on proximity to the device or emission measurements. Could citizens in Springfield use this rationale next July 4th celebration if they attempt to detonate dynamite in city limits? Afterall, 'fireworks' are all just 'handheld combustion devices', right?
The actual reality is, the devices in question, according to industry experts who use real research, are quite hazardous to health and have even been mentioned by Director of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr historically.
His organization, Children's Health Defense, offers entire pages of information on educating the public on the deleterious health impacts of EMF and radiation from SMART meter devices. In fact, a medical study published on the NIH evaluated a direct link between patients tested positive for Covid-19 and a worsening of their symptoms when exposed to wireless 5G frequencies, similar to those emitted by SMART meters. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine, a coalition of medical practitioners, has additionally urged a pause and reevaluation of RF emitting devices.
As for why the city may be pushing so hard for the upgrades despite their obvious health risks, Moore offered some revealing statements. According to Moore, the Ohio EPA, the same agency currently debating approving a permit to allow Data Centers to degrade state water supplies with wastewater dumping, in violation of ORC 6111.12, is demanding municipalities account for non-revenue water usage.
Additionally, according to expert William Bathgate, who has worked for years in the field of electric SMART meters, utilities and completed contracts for the Department of Defense, and cataloged his findings, the meters being installed for water meters are not only dangerous to citizens, but provide an economic boom for municipalities, like ones with flatlined income taxes.
"It’s much stronger than a cell phone, about eight times stronger,” Bathgate said. “Cancer, anxiety, tinnitus is the biggest problem. People hear crickets in the ears. There is no safe space you can get away from it. It’s atrocious. The signal reaches around 1400 feet. Municipalities don’t care at all because they think they are saving money by getting rid of the meter readers.”
According to Bathgate, the issue is far more pronounced though. Municipalities and public utilities actually get a cut from the profits of the devices used and the method in which they function is designed to generate far more revenue than standard manual meters.
“In the smart meters there is a circuit that creates the transient voltage, very similar to a cell phone charger. Everytime there is a flicker there is a momentary increase in voltage. So if you go turn on your lights on and off as fast as you can there is a slight tick in voltage. Old meters used to average this out. These new meters are Real Time, they sense every kind of increase that exists whatsoever and they check it every 15 minutes they call it peak value. So every 15 minutes they look at the peak value and they charge you for that entire 15 minutes for that peak value.”
According to Moore, information from the water meters is broadcasted "between 1 am and 1 pm," providing amble time to quantify and send to billing any 'leaky water pipes' that will no doubt be 'discovered' when residents notice their increasing water bills.
During the regular meeting, Mayor Rob Rue issued a statement regarding the upcoming termination of Temporary Protective Status for the 15-20,000 Haitians
"I want to offer the following statement regarding the anticipated expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on February 3, 2026.One thing remains clear: we will not formulate policy based on speculation. That said, we recognize that since the fall of 2024, there has been significant anxiety surrounding this potential federal immigration policy change. City officials and law enforcement leaders in our community have been actively communicating with one another, as well as with other agencies and organizations, to share timely, accurate and verified information whenever possible. However, the reality is that there are many unknowns. Speculation and the spread of misinformation only serve to create unnecessary fear and do a disservice to our residents. We have maintained open dialogue with the Department of Homeland Security to better understand federal processes and procedures. At this time, there is no confirmed information regarding immigration enforcement activity in our community. Federal actions may occur without notice to local agencies, and without confirmed information, it would be difficult to speculate on the duration or nature of any such activity. Please be assured that our priority remains the safety and security of our residents and businesses. We will continue working closely with our community partners—including schools, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations and others—who are equally invested in protecting the well-being of our community. As additional information becomes available, we will share what can appropriately be made public, consistent with our commitment to transparency."
It is unclear still to what extent the city will comply with federal immigration requirements to remove all those no longer under TPS, though the city government has shown multiple signs of movements towards noncompliance. While some members of the public offered words of condemnation for the elected official due to his actions which has exacerbated the current migration crisis in the city, Rue retorted with aggravation towards the public comment, stating he "doesn't lose an ounce of sleep" over such comments and opinions and individuals who speak them are simply "wasting 3 minutes."
Below readers can find studies related to the cited infographic as well as SMART meter studies and the deleterious health impacts, to download and read or use as they see fit.
