clean water for monterey park?

The City of Ceres, near Modesto, may be coming to the rescue of Monterey Park Tract. Residents of Monterey Park (population about 130) have been warned for years not to drink their tap water, which is contaminated with nitrates and arsenic. Treating the contaminated well water is prohibitively expensive for so small a community. Drilling a new well is not a viable option; there are no available nearby locations that are not also contaminated.

Enter Ceres. The two communities have begun discussions about the possibility of piping Ceres drinking water to Monterey Park Tract. At a special study session before its July 25 meeting, the Ceres City Council heard presentations on the project’s feasibility. Clean Water Action’s California Director, Miriam Gordon, urged the Council to act quickly to help the community. A majority of the Council members then agreed to support the project.

However, the problem will not be resolved quickly. The Monterey Park Tract Water Board must complete detailed feasibility studies and find funding for the new pipeline. Costs for the new water supply may still be too high for Monterey Park Tract residents to afford. State health officials, the County and both communities would all need to approve any final plan.

More information on arsenic and nitrates in drinking water and Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund’s Central Valley drinking water programs is here.