Bakersfield, California is known as one of the fastest growing medium-sized cities in the US. It’s also becoming known for something else: arsenic levels in its water supply. And while growth, tourism and country music continue to put this city on the map, its association with having some of the worst water in the US is what’s really got residents concerned.
Before we get into the city’s water contamination problems, let's first take a step back and see how water in the area is sourced.
Bakersfield gets its water from a variety of sources, including the Kern County Water Agency, which serves nearly 150,000 residents. Water within this agency comes from three different sources: 1) local groundwater, coming from 1 of 77 wells 2) surface water sourced from the Kern River and 3) treated water purchased from the Kern County Water Agency. In addition to the water agency, Bakersfield gets its water from other sources. Cal Water Service Co. is another water supplier, as are the following retail water companies: East Niles Community Services District; Vaughn Mutual Water Company; North of the River Municipal Water District; and Oildale Mutual Water Company.
But it's water from the Kern County Water Agency that is of the most concern; and that’s because water from this facility has tested positive for mind-blowing arsenic contamination levels. The EPA even sent out a press release warning the agency to take steps to remediate its arsenic-contaminated water supply. In a recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), the EPA went on to say that any household whose water contains 1 part per billion arsenic should make steps to have it removed.
But why is arsenic so bad? We all know that arsenic is no good. It’s a toxic metal, known to be cancer-causing; plus, it’s the source of other health issues.
Arsenic is much different than lead. Lead makes its way into the water supply through plumbing and pipes. But arsenic, on the other hand, comes from the water itself - it doesn’t get picked up in a dirty pipe, it was there the whole time. And that’s what makes this contaminant so reviled - it’s there every step of the way.
A recent article by California Health Report uncovered swaths of residential neighborhoods that are charged for their tap water, but are unable to get any use out of it.
For those who live in Bakersfield, California an at-home water filtration device will give your family access to clean, quality drinking water, and give you the power over your tap. Simply put, we can’t trust that water supply agencies will get the job done when it comes to decontaminating our water. City water authorities work to remove contaminants but often fall short in the long run. In the end, impurities and contaminants slip through the cracks and find their way to residential taps all too often. Further down we’ll talk more about water filtration and how a water filtration system can provide your family with cleaner, healthier water, but first, let’s talk about how Bakersfield’s water supply became so bad in the first place.
How did this happen?
There are a few different factors that combine to create the perfect storm that makes a state’s water quality substandard.
- Deteriorating infrastructure - The first reason deals with the infrastructure of the municipality supplying the water. In a perfect situation, public water pipes would remain in tip-top condition but in the real world, they don’t. Here’s a common example seen in deteriorating pipes: If a water pipe becomes old and starts to leak it can create a vacuum-like situation pulling untreated water in with treated water. When you turn on your faucet, your water would be both treated and untreated.
- Deteriorating infrastructure (part 2) - Another problem with old pipes is that they can seep copper, lead and additional heavy metal impurities - inviting a dangerous and unhealthy cocktail of contaminants into your drinking cup.
- Hazardous runoff - Hazardous tap water is also caused by runoff from farms and manufacturing plants, like car-making plants and coal mining plants. Runoff seeps into our water bodies and then gets into our water supply.
- Adding chlorine - Municipalities often add chlorine to the water supply in order to improve the taste or smell of the water; but it’s not safe.
How can I find out if my home has bad tap water in Bakersfield, CA?
Ask your provider.
The first thing you should do is call or email your local water provider and ask them to give you a copy of the most up-to-date water quality report they have. This report will detail the exact tests done to the water in your area with the dates the tests were performed and the results of the tests. The test results will give you insight into what contaminants may have been detected in your water. After that you can decide to have further testing done or you could move forward satisfied with what the report says - either way now you have information about the likely contaminants in your water.
Send samples for testing.
The most thorough testing will occur when you send out a sample of your tap water - this will also give you the most accurate results. You should always send your sample to a certified water-testing lab because they hire experts who will know what to look for. As an example: some chemical contaminants are hard-to-detect and can be overlooked by novice testers. Professional water labs will check for bacteria, chlorine, lead and pesticides as well as any specific contaminants you request.
Test your water at home.
You can also do it yourself and if that’s something you enjoy, there are water testing kits that can be purchased to make that happen. Professional lab testing is the most accurate and thorough way to test water - but with that said, at-home water testing kits can provide you with crucial information on your drinking water.
You can buy a kit online or in your local hardware store. The test strip kit will give you instructions on how to perform a test at home. Here’s an important tip: when testing your water at home, yourself, do it twice. Testing your water two times will ensure that your results are accurate. If you find that impurities are present, consider investing in a good water filtration device. A good water filtration system will help you to eliminate many contaminants and bring your drinking water to its most healthy and pure state. Finding a good, reliable water filtration system may be a daunting task - so let’s talk about the best system available to you.
Invest in The Water Machine.
The Water Machine is the world's first all-glass, gravity-fed countertop water filter. It's design is both functional and stylish, making The Water Machine an eye-pleasing focal point in your kitchen - or wherever you decide to put it. The Water Machine features a sleek hammered-glass design and can filter up to 6,000 gallons of water over a 10-year span (if you consume a gallon-and-a-half of water a day). Water filtered through The Water Machine is crisp and clean without a metallic or plastic aftertaste; it is some of the most delicious and refreshing water you'll ever enjoy. Plus our all-glass design helps reduce plastic waste in the environment. In fact, The Water Machine is committed to environmental causes, with a portion of all of our sales going toward clean water organizations including Water.org, who has given 36-million people worldwide access to clean, uncontaminated water; and Charitywater.org, whose goal is to bring clean drinking water to everyone on the planet. Please visit their websites to see more of the amazing work these organizations do.
The Water Machine eliminates the following contaminants: Bacteria like E. coli, Chlorine, Viruses, Chloramines, Parasites, Fluoride, Heavy Metals, Trihalomethane (THMs), Pharmaceuticals, Petroleum Contaminants, Bisphenol-A (BPA), Radiologicals, Perfluorochemicals (PFOAS), and Herbicides & Pesticides.
