Nearly One Million California Residents Living With Contaminated Drinking Water Deemed Dangerous to Human Health

Nearly 1 million residents in California are living with contaminated drinking water that is considered unsafe for consumption and harmful to human health.

Source: KCRA News/Youtube

The California state auditor, Michael S. Tilden, issued a report addressing the state’s officials, including Governor Newsom. The report identified over 370 failing water systems across the state that exceed the maximum contaminant levels and provide water to 920,000 people. The report also states that two-thirds of the failing water systems are in disadvantaged communities. The audit found that 150 of the systems have been failing for at least five years and hundreds of others are at the risk of failing.

If any water system exceeds maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), California’s State Water Resources Control Board is required to notify consumers with an explanation of the contaminant and its potential health effects. They must also state the steps being taken to correct the violation and where alternative water supplies should be used.

The report found that 70 public water systems in the state exceed the contaminant levels for arsenic, which can cause skin damage, circulatory issues, and an increased risk of cancer. Nitrate was also found, which is common in fertilizer and sewage runoff.

California’s State Water Resources Control Board regulates the operation of around 7,400 drinking water systems throughout the state and distributes federal and state assistance to help them improve the water quality. However, over the last five years, the average time for water systems to complete their applications for the funds and for the board to review them has nearly doubled from 17 months in 2017 to 33 months in 2021.

When it comes to safe drinking water, 17 months seems even too long to wait to ensure contaminant-free drinking water for residents.

“The board has generally demonstrated a lack of urgency in providing this critical assistance,” the report says.

Unfortunately, there is a funding issue. Between 2021 and 2025, there will be a $4.5 billion gap in funds needed to fix these water systems. Tilden created a timeline, suggesting that by January 2023, California’s water board should establish performance metrics for funding applications.

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