Rep. Ruiz calls on EPA to identify long-term solutions for contaminated drinking water in east valley
Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz wrote a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency calling for the agency to identify long-term solutions to the arsenic-contaminated drinking water in mobile home parks and communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley.
Since 2019, the EPA has issued emergency orders to at least 8 mobile home parks on tribal land in the east valley. The most recent orders were issued to four mobile home parks in March.
All 8 mobile home parks had high levels of arsenic detected in the drinking water systems.
Ruiz wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, in which he called the current situation in those communities "simply unacceptable." Ruiz urged the agency to help expedite consolidation projects to protect communities with contaminated drinking water.
“There is no clearer environmental injustice than vulnerable children in our communities having to drink arsenic contaminated water that harms their development and ability to learn,” Dr. Ruiz wrote. “As a physician, I have seen the effects contaminants like arsenic have on children’s development… All available tools must be used to significantly scale and speed up our investigation and assessment; our short-term response where contamination is found; and our implementation of a long-term solution.”
Arsenic is a known carcinogen and drinking high levels over many years can increase the chance of lung, bladder, and skin cancers, as well as heart disease, diabetes, and neurological damage.
Full Letter Below:
The EPA began issuing emergency orders due to arsenic in 2019, starting with the Oasis Mobile Home Park.
The agency has issued emergency orders in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to the Oasis Mobile Home Park due to arsenic in the water. In January 2021, 20 Oasis Mobile Home Park residents filed a lawsuit due to unsafe and unhealthy living conditions against the landlord due to the unsafe conditions.
In July 2021, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz said that local BIA leadership allowed the owners of Oasis Mobile Home park to operate without a business license and with unsafe conditions for more than 13 years before the park faced a contaminated water issue.
The state is now working to move the residents of Oasis Mobile Home Park to another location. The mobile home park has between 1,000 and 2,000 residents, most of them field workers residing in about 350 mobile homes.
In Dec. 2021, the EPA issued additional emergency orders at Mora Mobile Home Park, Valladares Mobile Home Park and Toledo Mobile Home Park The EPA alleged that Mora's water has 52-63 ppb, Valladares' 77-82 ppb and Toledo's water has 63-65 ppb of arsenic.
The maximum amount of arsenic allowed is 10 ppb.
In March 2022, emergency orders were issued at Arellano Mobile Home Park, Castro Ranch, Gonzalez Mobile Home Park, and Sandoval Mobile Home Park.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.
