San Mateo County ramps up outreach to ensure South Coast residents have safe drinking water
San Mateo County, California – San Mateo County is working harder to make sure that people who live on the South Coast have clear, easy-to-find information regarding the safety of their drinking water. This is especially important for people who get their water from wells and rivers instead of public water systems.
County officials have been sending flyers to homes and businesses all around the South Coast region, including Pescadero, in the last several weeks. These fliers, which come in English and Spanish, provide information about water safety and how to get in touch with someone if you need help or have questions.
But the outreach hasn’t ended there. County teams and local outreach partners are giving out materials at popular community places like grocery shops and post offices to reach as many people as possible. They’re also going door to door, going to local events, and putting commercials on the radio and social media to help people.
The Environmental Health Services Division and the Office of Community Affairs are in charge of a larger public health campaign that includes this one. The main goal is to make sure that all residents, including tenants, farmworkers, and people who don’t understand English, have the information and tools they need to keep safe.
“Everyone deserves peace of mind when it comes to their drinking water,” said San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, whose District 3 includes the South Coast area. “If your water comes from a well or a creek, we want you to know we’re here to help make sure it’s clean and safe. That’s a basic right, and a top priority for us.”
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A lot of people in the South Coast rely on private water sources. More than half of the residences in the area get their water from private wells or creeks. Even though these systems are ubiquitous, homeowners or landlords need to keep them up to date. The County can check the water and make sure it meets safety regulations, but it can’t pay for repairs or upgrades.
If you’re a renter and are concerned about the quality of your drinking water, you should call County Environmental Health Services. The County will check homes and water supplies for free, and if they find any problems, landlords must fix them.
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The Farm Labor Housing Compliance Task Force has recently inspected more than 140 housing units for farmworkers and sent unpermitted properties to the right regulatory bodies. These are just a few of the recent efforts taken to make water safer and easier to get in the area. The County has also added purified water service to Pescadero Middle and High School, which used to rely on bottled water since its wells were contaminated with nitrates.
If those who get their water from CSA-11, the local public water system, are concerned about what comes out of their taps, they can also ask for water quality tests.
People who get their water from a well or creek and need help or aren’t sure if their water is safe can call County Environmental Health Services for help and advice. The County’s goal is clear: every home should have clean, safe drinking water, no matter where it comes from.
