SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – According to a detailed report by the state auditor, nearly one million Californians are at risk for liver and kidney problems as well as cancer due to unsafe drinking water.
Acting California State Auditor Michael Tilden revealed just how big the problem is in a report Tuesday, blasting the State Water Resources Control Board for how it's handled polluted water in Central California.
In December of 2021, the State Water Board reported that 370 water systems that provide water to more than 920,000 people were not meeting water quality standards.
"We have nearly 400 water systems that are exceeding the maximum contaminant level for safe drinking water," Tilden told KCBS Radio. "Basically what that means is that the water contains contaminants including high levels of nitrates, arsenic, e coli."
Exacerbating the issue, Tilden's office found it's taking years for the State Water Resources Control Board to fix the contaminated water problem.
"It's taking the state water board nearly twice as long to process applications, to approve them and to execute funding agreements. Back in 2017, that process took roughly 17 months. Now it's taking nearly three years," he said.
During that three year time, some people are left drinking bottled water.
Despite having the funds, the State Water Resources Control Board has generally demonstrated a lack of urgency in providing critical assistance to communities with failing water systems, the report stated.
In a statement to KCBS Radio, State Water Resources Control Board officials said they are working to implement some suggestions from the audit, hitting out against allegations that their staff are not prioritizing these problems.
According to the board, they're dealing with a huge volume of applications in the drought, as well as issues due to changing qualifications for requests.
More than two‑thirds of the failing water systems are located in disadvantaged communities with significant financial need.
Tilden advised that new metrics for how long each fix should take will help speed up the application and agreement process.
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