Residents of North Sacramento Warned to Not Drink Tap Water
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017, residents of some parts of North Sacramento received warning that their tap water may be contaminated and dangerous to drink. Twenty-four hours later the warning was lifted. Details appear below.
Incident Details
The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities released a public notice at around 9 a.m. The report indicated that the affected area was located east of Norwood Avenue, between Main Avenue and Interstate 80, continuing to Pell Drive.
The city reported that people in the area had noticed a “purple discoloration” in municipal tap water and advised that residents avoid drinking it. The city also advised that area residents drink bottled water instead of attempting to treat the discolored water on their own. The city’s report also indicated that the city did not know what had caused the water discoloration and that officials were conducting tests to gather more information.
Norwood Junior High School was reportedly handing out water bottles to students. Other area residents were advised by the city to go to nearby Robla Park for water if they were unable to obtain bottled water.
Current CA Water Concerns
This incident is happening alongside other water quality issues affecting a large portion of Northern California. Recent wildfires in Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Lake, Mendocino, and Humboldt Counties have not only left a massive wake of damage but have affected the quality of drinking water for area residents.
Many residents of these counties have been advised by their local water authorities to boil their tap water for a full minute before drinking it in order to kill off contaminating bacteria.
In Napa particularly, the fires destroyed two separate water pump stations. While the city set up temporary pumps in order to restore water pressure, they did notify residents that the tap water would be unsafe to drink until major repairs were made.
Drinking Water Standards Violations
According to the California State Water Resources Control Board, public tap water systems across California have violated federal and state regulations thousands of times during recent years.
Most of the violations reportedly happened within small systems that serve less than 300 people. However, many of these small water systems service places such as schools, workplaces, parks, and other non-residential buildings where non-residents may have also been at risk of drinking unsafe drinking water.
Most Serious Violations
The most serious drinking water violations that have been recorded are violations of the “total coliform rule” which dictates the total level of fecal coliform legally allowed in public drinking water. A violation of this rule means that fecal coliform has contaminated drinking water through animal waste or sewage. Such contamination can lead to immediate and serious health impacts including diarrhea, nausea, and other symptoms.
Violations are also issued when water authorities fail to issue the proper public notifications that they are legally required to issue in the event that water quality is compromised.
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Del Paso Heights Personal Injury Lawyer
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pic: “Aerated Tap Water” by Nikthestoned under CC A-SA3.0U
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