We had documents that would change everything. But first, we'd let Vivian dig deeper. Patricia Morgan, the new board president, called the meeting to order. We're here to address water quality concerns and discuss EPA findings. The crowd erupted.
Parents shouted about sick children. Someone yelled about property values dropping $40,000 in two weeks. Demands for refunds, answers, accountability. Patricia raised her hands for quiet. The EPA will present their findings first.
Dr. Sandra Murphy from the EPA didn't sugarcoat it. She displayed water testing results on the projector bright red numbers showing copper sulfate levels four times above safe standards. Contamination originated from industrial algaecide dumping here, she said, laser pointer highlighting my lake on the aquifer map. Chemicals entered groundwater and spread throughout the spring feeding your wells.
Vivian squirmed like she was sitting on hot coals. Who dumped the chemicals? Someone shouted. Dr. Murphy looked directly at Vivian.
That's a matter for ongoing criminal investigation. 300 heads turned to stare at Vivian. The temperature dropped 20 degrees. Patricia cleared her throat. Marcus Reed has information about property rights and water access.
I walked to the microphone. Every eye followed. Cameras swiveled. Most of you know me as the difficult neighbor who wouldn't stop fishing. I started.
Vivian Blackwater spent months trying to drive me off my property through lawsuits, harassment, and eventually environmental terrorism. Vivian shot up. That's slander. "Sit down, Mrs. Blackwater,", the sheriff's deputy ordered.
Not requested. Ordered. I held up my grandfather's 1952 deed. This document includes one specific paragraph I want to read. All water rights, surface and subsurface to underground spring system and tributaries thereto in perpetuity.
Silence except for the projector hum. In plain English, I own the water rights to the entire aquifer feeding this subdivision. Every drop from your taps for 15 years legally belongs to me. The developer never purchased these rights. He just drilled into my water without permission.