Spring 2007 Newsletter
CSERC's water quality protection efforts underscore the need for more testing of local lakes, streams, and septic systems
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Most of us take pure water for granted. We simply expect the water coming out of our taps to be clean and clear. We also expect that our streams, lakes, and rivers will be generally clean and unpolluted.
Unfortunately, despite many laws and policies aimed at protecting water quality, only a few streams and rivers in the central region of the Sierra Nevada have sufficient water monitoring and testing to reveal when pollution occurs. Even more of a problem is the near total lack of testing of local septic systems. With thousands of old or marginal septic systems functioning (or struggling) across the foothills and forest region, there is certainly pollution seeping out of many failed or marginal systems.
After a year of emotional debates at county meetings over septic systems, CSERC staff testified in support of a compromise set of guidelines proposed for new septic systems in Tuolumne County. Unfortunately, county supervisors were swayed by complaints from realtors, developers, and property owners who wanted even further weakening of the regulations than what was proposed. That debate continues as this newsletter goes to press, with the final details of a new county policy for septic systems still not resolved.
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| Tom Hofstra, CSERC’s Ph.D. staff scientist, has conducted water monitoring since November as part of a volunteer citizen monitoring process in Tuolumne County. That monitoring follows the more in-depth testing that was done for seven streams in the County as part of a grant program. Six of the seven streams revealed fecal coliform contamination in excess of state standards for bodily contact. Fecal coliform is one pollutant commonly found when septic systems fail and emit wastewater into surface or subsurface waters. With literally thousands of lots across the foothill region directly dependent upon both wells and septic systems on the same lots, the potential for widespread contamination of many families’ domestic water supply is a very real possibility. Sadly, in Calaveras County in particular, County decision-makers continue to routinely approve both wells and septic systems on the same lots in new development projects – while openly admitting: “Let the buyer beware…” |
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In addition to Tom’s water quality sampling work (above and at left), CSERC staff is always looking to identify obvious signs of local water pollution -- such as the oily sheen of residue (at right) in urban runoff flowing from a drainpipe into Twain Harte Lake. Whenever we discover visible evidence of pollution, we press agencies to require stricter treatment of petroleum-based runoff, septic system effluent, and other pollutants degrading local waters. Until more testing is done, most such pollution will go likely go undetected. |
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CSERC | PO Box 396 | Twain Harte, CA 95383 | (209) 586-7440 | info@cserc.org
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