Is our water supply as safe as the citizens of Sebastopol deserve? Citizens deserve a “status report” that includes water safety data. The health consequences of our population drinking contaminated water would be an epic failure of the trust we put in our city employees and our elected officials.
Historically, the city and past city councils have not managed the water and wastewater enterprises with great diligence. For 20 years the city and past city councils were illegally siphoning money from the water rate payers to fund general government activities. This starved the water and sewer operation of needed funds to update infrastructure, potentially including treating our water to remove contaminants such as arsenic.
The Public Works status report describes issues with contamination of the water in three out of four of our wells. Arsenic is the most prevalent problem; the presence of tetrachloroethylene may be the most alarming but appears to be under control using the carbon filter on that well.
It does appear, past city councils did allow “dry cleaning fluids” to be in our water supply for three years before addressing the problem.
There is a long history of Arsenic in the water supply. Beginning in 2009 the city water quality report documented higher than allowable levels of arsenic contamination in 2008 water samples. The 2009 report had a footnote that disclosed a compliance order from the State Department of Public Health that was issued. The solution stated in a report at the time was to take more samples and average the results.
Still for years individual samples continued to exceed the maximum allowable arsenic levels. In 2013 CEQUA disclosed that the arsenic problem had been ongoing and unresolved since 2007.
CEQUA directed the city to develop a water treatment solution.
This all began in 2007 and continued in 2008 & 2009. There are no reports for 2010-2012.
Reports on the city website show water samples exceeded the maximum arsenic levels by almost 4 times maximum in 2013, 2014, 2015. Levels were elevated in 2016 and again in 2022. (See addendum).
It would be comforting to know the problem is finally resolved. However, reports from the last two years cast doubt. The 2022 report had samples that again exceed the maximum allowable levels based on federal standards.
On the surface the 2023 report shows improvement. But on closer examination only three of the four wells were sampled. Well 6 samples were not included in the report. Well 6 is one of the two wells with arsenic and the well targeted according to this status report for possible treatment for arsenic “if levels increase in the future.” If no data is reported from well 6, then what will be the criteria that triggers water treatment for arsenic? The rationale for allowing arsenic in the water is described in the footnote to the water quality reports which reads as follows”
*Arsenic: While your drinking water meets the federal and state standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. The arsenic standard balances the current understanding of arsenic’s possible health effects against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water.
Given that most residents of Peacetown are focused on better health it seems unlikely that they would be happy knowing we have arsenic levels up to and exceeding the maximum allowed by the federal government. The wealthy can put in filtration systems to ensure clean water. Lower income individuals will have to take a chance and drink the water.
It appears there is a plan to treat the water. How much does it cost; how long would it take to implement? City council members representing Sebastopol’s water users should be asking if the costs of removing the arsenic are offset by the risks of adverse health effects based on levels acceptable to our citizens and not just the Federal Government.
The city council is the board of directors of the Sebastopol water district. In addition to infrastructure, every member needs to review the history of the operations, including the decisions made by past councils and be attentive to ongoing issues such as water contamination, ongoing billing issues and ongoing financial issues.
Addendum: Tetrachloroethlene Levels
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Addendum: Arsenic Levels
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013