Tempe Town Lake dam bursts, floods homeless area

Experts were confident that Tempe Town Lake dam would last for 25 to 30 years. A rubber structure, Tempe Town Lake dam created a beautiful natural landmark for the city of Tempe, Arizona. But one wonders what Tempe thinks about one of the 11-year-old dam pillows having blown, as the Associated Press reports. Two-thirds to three-fourths of Tempe Town Lake will flood the dry riverbed of Salt River, which happens to be an area where some of Tempe’s homeless tend to sleep during the summer. Source for this article – Tempe Town Lake rubber dam bursts; waters wash away homeless by Personal Money Store.

Injury wire quiet on Tempe Town Lake

Reports indicate the spontaneous explosion of the 16-foot-high section of the Tempe Town Lake dam caused no injuries, and also the water has placed no structures in instant danger. There was a loud boom and ground tremors within the area of the Arizona State University campus, as outlined by on-the-scene witnesses. A couple of second after that, animals began to flee. Not long after that, an emergency siren split the night air. Reports as to whether any potential transients within the Salt River bed heard the siren are presently inconclusive.

Tempe Town Lake holds one billion gallons

Consider that flow, advises city Mayor Hugh Hallman. As far back as 2007, experts reportedly knew that the Arizona climate was wreaking havoc with the structural integrity of the rubber dam. But nothing was done. By April 2009, the makers of Tempe Town Lake dam made a safety recommendation, but Tempe chose to ignore the warning.

Is this about washing Tempe’s homeless away?

While the alarm was sounded, currents reports are unclear as to what affect the Tempe Town Lake dam explosion had on the transient population. On the surface, seems like that this could be a simple case of negligence and mechanical failure. But if the fiscal angle is taken through the lens of the cost of homelessness, other possibilities emerge. Various media sources indicate that chronic homelessness costs the United States $ 10.95 billion each year in public funds. If such individuals were given permanent homes, Forbes reports that that expense would drop to $ 7.88 billion.

Live in low-cost housing before the waters rise

Tempe’s home country of Maricopa County has 8,000 homeless individuals daily, reports AZCentral.com. If those 8,000 people – only some of whom may live within the Salt River area near Tempe Town Lake – had homes, not only would the nation be saving money, but Maricopa County would reportedly conserve as much as 50 percent on emergency resources. Tempe Town Lake doesn’t sound like a homeless story at first, but the disaster could produce something truly positive for those needing opportunity.

Citations

philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/20100721_ap_rubberizeddambreaksatmanmadearizonalake.html

azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/2010/06/11/20100611tempe-homeless-outreach-united-way.html

forbes.com/2006/08/25/us-homeless-aid-cx_np_0828oxford.html