Monterey County leaders rally support for state safe drinking water fund

The state’s water board says more than a million Californians don’t have access to safe drinking water in their home.

There have been more than 70 water systems in Monterey County that have been cited for having contaminants like nitrates and arsenic.

Friday, local leaders are getting behind a new proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to provide safe drinking water.

In some rural parts of the county safe drinking water in their home isn’t a guarantee. Just south of Chualar, at a low income housing complex called camp 21, people living there say their running water is not safe to drink.
“Nothing for cooking or anything. We can only just shower with it, we can’t drink it or use for cooking, because its contaminated,” camp 21 resident Rodrigo Manza said.

That’s been the reality for Manzo and his family for the 27 years they’ve lived there. He hopes Governor Newsom’s new safe drinking water fund could make a difference for them.

“It would be really good so we can continue to live here, because we’ve been looking for places for that reason,” Manzo said. “So save money, so we don’t have to spend so much money on water.”

The community water center and county leaders want to be at the forefront of eliminating these local water issues.

“A wide range of contaminants. Different ones in different parts of the county, but when you have those kind of issues…to help local families that have waited far to long for safe drinking water” Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said.

Different contaminants effect different parts of the county. Alejo says north Monterey County has natural forming water contaminants, like arsenic. Parts of Carmel Valley have high fluoride in their water and other issues in the Salinas Valley stem from fertilizer use largely in the ag fields.
“If you have a lot of crops that are using too much nitrogen, then that’s going to keep contaminating the water. If you have too many pesticides that’s going to keep contaminating it,” water activist Horacio Amezquita said.

For families like Manza’s, something like a filtration system is far too expensive, but water activists say they contaminants can have serious effects.

“Short term exposure to nitrates for example, can cause vomiting. Long term exposure can cause blue baby syndrome and its also been linked to cancer,” Community Water Center director Susana De Anda said.

The safe and affordable drinking water found would supply more funding for drinking water services. It has unanimous support from the Monterey County Board of supervisors.

There will be a vote at the capital in the next three weeks.