To address tap water quality concerns in the Bay Area's disadvantaged neighborhoods and among local tribes, the San Francisco Estuary Partnership has joined forces with community-based organizations and the California Indian Environmental Alliance. The partnership's Tap Water Testing Program stands as the region's most substantial community-driven initiative in this area, offering valuable data on the water that residents drink every day.
From 2019 to 2022, the project involved water testing by 50 community members, shedding light on broader concerns about water safety and affordability. “The Tap Water Testing Program empowered us to assist 50 community members in addressing immediate concerns about their drinking water,” Jennifer Adams, Senior Program Manager at Nuestra Casa, said, as per the Association of Bay Area Governments. In response to ongoing issues, a Community Water Task Force was launched to amplify their voices and work directly with utility companies and government agencies.
Initial insights from the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Needs Assessment indicated a deep mistrust of tap water quality among underserved communities. A research collaboration with Simple Lab ensured that the data gathered was scientifically robust. The Estuary Partnership's Principal Environmental Planner, James Muller, emphasized the significance of such collaborations, stating, as cited by the Association of Bay Area Governments, “This has been an amazing opportunity to collaborate with communities and Tribes to identify and address their concerns through a data collection effort that meets the needs of various vested parties.”
An elaborate testing procedure that involved collecting 555 samples, leading to 34,296 test results, revealed that about 0.08% of tests exceeded primary regulatory standards by a minuscule amount. However, approximately 2% of all tests surpassed aesthetic standards, indicating that while the water is generally safe, there is room for improvement in the water's appeal. Notably, among the substances tested, no presence of ‘forever chemicals’ or PFAS exceeded health-related thresholds.
The East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) has taken a proactive stance on the issue, ensuring that its water exceeds state and federal standards and advocating for customer-based testing. “EBMUD supports water quality testing and is proud to say that EBMUD water meets or surpasses all state and federal water quality standards,” David Briggs, Director of Water Operations for EBMUD, expressed, as per the Association of Bay Area Governments. The utility also offers resources for individual lead testing and annually published water quality reports.
