Wow. Water utility district meeting update about #CZULightningComplex fire. Question 1: Is it safe for chemical absorption through skin? Utility says Waterboard would only allow Do Not Drink-Do Not Use order. We recommended Do Not Use order based on #TubbsFire and #CampFire 
Yes, a DNU order should have been issued b/c no one understands if hazardous waste scale water contam. is present. Bathing in hazardous waste level water is NOT acceptable. Why did the Waterboard not allow the utility to issue a Do Not Use order? Utility needs to change to a DNU.
More questions about if people can people wash dishes? - my answer: No.
If chemicals are present, will need to replace water heater? My answer: Depends. You need to know which chemicals are there. Then call in expert to help address plumbing contamination.
Utility now invoking testing for 84 VOC chemicals in response. (Ahhh, missing SVOCs and some of the VOCs you wouldn't detect in water anyways...so #84 is irrelevant)
Person asking if pressure lost but heat damage occurred, is there contamination? Utility says there's no reason to believe contamination is in the areas. Um...you can have heat damage to plastics and STILL keep pressure.
Someone asked if SVOCs will be tested for. Utility says Waterboard in "early" discussions with them about this and labs aren't available. What? They need to do this faster.
Utility hasn't contacted CalWARN.
Utility director says "they are in compliance", but does not seem to understand there's no compliance. Compliance is at the distribution system entry point. You can be in compliance and deliver benzene water to customers, as long as you don't find it at point of compliance.
Water advisory questions are being asked. Folks want clarity. And asking why it's not a do not use situation. Utility says the state issued the advisory.
This compliance issue was literally the issue I raised in Del Oro Water Company and Paradise. The Waterboard refused to require any testing by either. This isn't about "compliance." This is a disaster response to protect the health and safety of infants, children, and others.
For perspective, you should compare chemical concentrations to MCLs (70 year exposure issues), but also acute (immediate) health risk thresholds as well as other thresholds. Don't just focus on MCLs. Your point of "compliance" is only at water distribution system entry point.
Do not use the water for laundry. Do not use the water for showering or bathing or dishes. There's no situation where 40,000 ppb benzene and 1000s of ppb other chemicals, if present, is okay. See below. Lessons from #CampFire #TubbsFire
There's an assumption by the utility that if you don't lose pressure you are fine but in Santa Rosa contamination was found OUTSIDE the depressurization zone. Listeners are confused. You CAN have contamination outside the depressurization zone. You have to hunt for it.
Homeowner wants to know what treatment systems to install. Utility will not make recommendation on treatment (or should not). Homeowner wants a timetable on when they'll get data so they can make a decision.
Question from person: Is there any chance VOC contamination and effects can be explained (short term vs. long term) and when is the STATE going to participate in conversation?
Person says STATE should assume responsibility for the lag in testing and this is unreasonable.
Utility says 84 chemicals looked for. Each one has it's own health effect. State regulates any contaminant with health effect with an MCL. -- No they don't. Acute exposure is not regulated for these disasters.
Participant says there's confusion about how to keep safe about possible contamination. Person indicates it is sad if they are permitted to use the water and it's hazardous and suffer side effects.
Yes, beyond sad. Do Not Use order is needed. No one has any idea if the water is safe or not.
Utility says they already have information in their advisory warning of water use.
Utility PR person says alternative sources of water should be used. That's not what the water advisory says.
If utility detects contamination they will revise the notice. Unclear how that's done? They said state issued the water advisory. Wouldn't the state have to do it? Utility doesn't have authority according to utility.
Utility says by Sept 12 water will be back at all customers, but the water advisory will not be lifted.
For homes without water right now, should they expect water to be worse? Bacteria, nitrates, VOC water samples as those zones are brought back.
Will the neighbor need to replace PVC pipes in home if there is contamination? -- Utility says PVC and HDPE pipes are affected the same way. There will be testing person needs to do.
Homeowner asks to recommend what testing they should do. Utility recommends calling a certified lab. Oh no, they shouldn't have done that. You MUST know what's present in the water (from utility) before homes test. Otherwise labs take advantage of homeowners.
Are you going to make it clear that you have no data that the water is safe for bathing or any kind of personal care? Utility says their notice had to be approved by the state. Utility says state won't allow the utility to tell customers they can't bathe.
Participant recommends utility contact Bruce McPherson (elected official) to expedite lab results and state water order help.
My opinion: If true, the state's actions prohibiting do not use order is a terrible failure in protecting the public from harm. The utility must protect it's people and engage elected officials to help. They also need to engage actual experts on this. The state doesn't have them.
Participant is helping the utility. Directing them to contact governor for help. Good idea. We tried this for Paradise with CalOES, but Governor Newsom denied the request.
When will you know you have accumulated enough data that the water advisory can be lifted? Utility says regulator makes the decision.
If benzene shows up, does that give a longer timeline for recovery? Do we have resources to recover? Utility says national guard tankers would be present and more people would come in to assist. Utility says none of that is needed yet.
Will this be a best or worst case scenario? Utility made decisions to shutdown parts of their system 2 days before the fire arrived. They think contamination, if present, would be less. But counters that the state will determine if it's safe to drink.
Businesses want help with getting water downtown. Utility says bottled water they have is being given to businesses. Environmental Health (county) is planning to schedule connecting with the businesses.
Person why is it do not drink/do not boil not a do not use order? Will water cause damage to the pipes? Utility says they suppose it could happen. My Answer: Yes, possibly and bacteria isn't what is an issue.
Person asks if it's safe to bring in water in their home when you don't know contamination. Utility doesn't answer the question. PR person says the state is strict and "there's no basis for the district to tell people not to flush a toilet." (What? Your job is to PROTECT people).
Utility says customers are going to need to use your best judgement moving forward. Hey! That's what the West Va governor said after the #MCHM spill! This is really ill advised statement.
Utility says science isn't there. NO, it's there! Do Not Use Order was recommended, you didn't use it. awwa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.10…
Participant asks the utility members if they would take a shower in their homes. Utility reps say they won't answer. District lawyer says personal decisions are not allowable. WOW. Lack of empathy here.
Homeowner asks to recommend water tank seller. Utility says go to the internet and gives general advice about potable water safety.
Homeowner asking about whether PVC pipes on their property will need to be replaced if contaminated water contacted it. Utility says all HDPE being removed.
Homeowner says she detects a smell in the drinking water, Boulder Creek. Utility wants to go out and test it. Tells customer to call and report. Then says email.
Person wants utility to confirm they dodged a bullet. Utility says yes, but cannot confirm it. Person wants to know if the 1st round of testing will tell them if nothing found, if it's really good. [My answer: No. You must test for what's present. Just VOCs you won't know safety]
Utility lawyer interjects and recommends people should follow state mandate...which allows bathing infants the water. If it turns out it's heavily contaminated, well, the state sanctioned it. That's a terrible response.
Participant asks if we have VOCs in network and plastic pipes soak up like a sponge, are there other intact pipes that have absorbed VOCs? Utility says flushing works (nope). Then utility responds and says >200+ days.
Homeowner asks how to test their own house because they have plastic pipe.
Is it safe to do laundry? Utility says they don't have data to say if it's safe. Seek out alternative means to do laundry and using cold water.
Utility asks if any state or county agencies are on the phone to speak. My opinion: I doubt anyone would surface. Sometimes state officials came to meetings in street clothes to watch. They will gather intel, fallback and determine how they want to communicate.
Rentee asks if building water line can get tested on a private water source (spring). Utility recommends she contact County Environmental Health.
It's over /end.
