democratic process isn't actually happening -> it's a scam to call it democracy -> a technocratic solution that meets the needs of the burgeoning disenfranchised population is required because the degree of inequality that we're dealing with is creating severe social conflicts
One town in Rutherford Co re-elected the same corrupt mayor for decades on end; he was the longest serving elected official in state history. Over the course of his administration he stole the contemporary equivalent of millions of dollars from the small town, which had a population of a thousand or so during his tenure. He won his last election (with ~80% of the vote) while actively & publicly embroiled in the lawsuit that would ultimately cause the state supreme court to order his removal from office. After he was forced out, the town's elected council immediately appointed the town manager, his twin brother, as temporary replacement; his twin announced he'd just do whatever his deposed brother told him to do... and won his own election in this platform. One resident, when interviewed about the affair, admitted the former mayor was corrupt and a thief, but defended his record saying he was a good old boy and "never did anything bad-wrong" like murder. One of the town's major thoroughfares is named after this long-(self)serving mayor and he's still revered with nearly saint-like status in that town.
Rutherford County, TN isn't Deep South or even particularly rural; with a population of more than a third of a million, it's a one of the primary suburban/exurban appendages of metro Nashville and is home to the 2nd largest university in the state.
I don't see any reason to doubt the veracity of the story, though; it seems pretty well investigated and reported.
not precisely-- while the ozone they produce from liquid oxygen does serve the purpose of making the water more palatable, it serves a higher purpose as their primary disinfectant. the faq in the link you provided states that OUD doesn't have the capacity to sufficiently disinfect water using chlorine alone
if people do not cut back, Orlando will have to issue a boil-water notice
you can't just add electricity to the water. the treatment plant already exists and probably needs to be running & producing potable water 24/7 with little room for fiddling around. besides, you can provide oxidation by running the water through an aerator, if you have one.
The liquid oxygen is used to produce ozone, which, in addition to solving their taste and odor issues, is a potent disinfectant. However, ozone doesn't leave a detectable disinfectant residual in the water like chlorine does. Testing for that residual allows you to show that at any given tap in your distribution system, the water remains disinfected.
By using ozone for primary disinfection, you can greatly reduce the amount of chlorine you add to the water before you send it out into the distribution system, so you end up with fewer undesirable disinfection byproducts. Orlando's problem seems to be that they don't have the capacity to adequately disinfect the water with chlorine alone.