02-08-2012 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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body temperature from exposure at a very high intensity. Normal exposures from wireless networks do not cause a discernible rise in body temperature and, therefore, do not affect human health. There have been concerns raised regarding exposure to radio frequencies causing cancer. Scientific evidence has not shown a direct correlation between cancer and being located near a radio frequency base station (base stations typically emit higher RP signals than wireless networks). In cases where clusters of cancer did show up around base stations the cancers were a collection of different types with no common characteristics proving the radio waves cased them. Studies in animals at higher than normal exposures have not established an increased risk of cancer. There have been cases of people experiencing symptoms from exposure to radio frequency base stations and other devices. This has been called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity. While studies have not been able to prove that EMF causes these symptoms, those people that do experience them should be recognized. In conclusion, the World Health Organization has found no convincing evidence that the radio frequency signals emitted by wireless technology cause adverse health effects in humans. Saint Paul Regional Water Services is currently in the middle of upgrading all water meters in its system to a radio -read system, which is similar to the fixed - network system Little Canada is installing. The radio -read system transmits at a frequency in the 900 MHz range and transmits many more times per day than the fixed - network system since it does not know when it is being read from the street. SPRWS had a group of concerned residents request an alternative to the radio -read meter at each of their houses due to concerns they had with being exposed to the radio frequencies. After much consideration SPRWS developed a policy for those that want an alternate meter. Those residents can either have the radio transmitter placed on the outside of their homes to lessen the potential for exposure to radio frequency signals at no additional cost. Or residents can opt to have a regular touch pad meter installed that would have to be manually read in the field by SPRWS staff. If residents choose the second option they have to pay a quarterly fee of $12 to cover the cost of an employee driving to the location to read the meter. Staff recommends that the City Council establish a similar policy for the meter replacement program in Little Canada. The policy would give residents uncomfortable with a fixed- network radio transmitter in their homes the option to: A) Have the radio transmitter mounted on the outside of the house at no additional cost to the resident. B) Have a standard touch pad mounted to the outside of the house that can be manually read each quarter by City staff at a charge of $12 per month. 4