Franklin Works to Clean Up “Cable Pollution” Around Town
The City of Franklin is addressing the growing nuisance known as "cable pollution.” Cable pollution is the result of the negligence of telecommunications providers that leave cable infrastructure no longer in service decaying and unattended to.
Cable pollution manifests in many forms, including wire cables haphazardly dangling from telephone poles and abandoned installations in residential yards after homeowners switch internet or cable TV providers.
Other forms of cable pollution range from messy and improperly installed underground connections to inadequate repair work on city streets and residential properties.
Local public officials and residents alike have long voiced their concerns about this issue, which goes beyond Franklin to affect the rest of Johnson County and Indiana. The inadequate maintenance of infrastructure in communities also negatively impacts the businesses that rely on those services and can hinder economic activity.
In some cases, telecommunications contractors have inadvertently damaged other essential utility lines, such as gas or sewer connections, due to their failure to accurately locate existing lines, according to an article in the Daily Journal.
Franklin's Mayor, Steve Barnett, decided to take the lead on addressing cable pollution in his community after conferring with state and Johnson County officials. His solution involves working with Natasha Mershon and her firm, The Masters Group to conduct a comprehensive audit of all cables in the city.
The Masters Group is a Bargersville-based company with experience collaborating with telecommunications firms on cable installation projects, and they have assisted the town of Bargersville in auditing cables attached to poles owned by the town's electric utility.
The company will also take the lead in contacting utilities to resolve any issues identified during the audit. They will also provide guidance to city officials on enhancing local regulations to address cable pollution more effectively.
Mayor Barnett plans to share these insights with local legislators, with the hopes of eventually creating a bill to combat this issue at the state level.
Cable pollution concerns encompass not only the unpleasant aesthetics of exposed cables but also safety hazards. Reports have emerged of children playing on unsecured cables, which, although typically non-electrified, could potentially pose a danger if live wires were involved.
Concealed vaults and holes housing old underground cables and decommissioned pedestals also present physical hazards to people, vehicles, and bicycles.
The Masters Group aims to document every existing utility problem in the city in the audit. The company's efforts have already yielded quicker responses from utility providers than previous city initiatives.
In the past, cable companies have tended to prioritize speed over quality, which led to most of the incidents of cable pollution to begin with.
According to the Daily Journal, Mayor Barnett sees the lack of adequate regulation for telecommunications companies as the core issue underlying cable pollution. Unlike other utilities, such as gas, water, and electricity, the telecommunications industry faces comparatively fewer enforceable state standards.
The city government is committed to addressing each problem identified while establishing timelines for corrective measures. The city is also considering updates to its ordinances, which could include fines designed to hold telecommunications companies more accountable.
The City of Franklin hopes to see more comprehensive regulation that would bring cable companies in line with other utilities, promote better practices and create a safer, more aesthetically pleasing environment for the residents and businesses of the community.