Adelanto residents are tired of contaminated drinking water and demand action from their city council. They packed the council chambers with “clean water now” posters and bilingual comments on the importance of clean drinking water at the Dec. 10 meeting.
The synthetic chemical Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) was detected in Adelanto water in 2023. PFOS is known as a “forever chemical,” which studies have shown can cause cancer, according to the National Library of Medicine.
That year, the Adelanto City Council approved a resident-led water ad hoc committee, however, it has yet to be established nearly three years later.
Countless Adelanto residents addressed the council at the December meeting, pleading that they fulfill that loose commitment.
One resident was Eddie Torres, Policy Director for Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice. He presented a petition to the council with more than 600 Adelanto resident signatures in support of a clean water committee. Torres says the residents are advocating for the same things they were three years ago.
All who signed the petition want this from the council: for the officials to provide a concrete timeline of when the committee will be formed, to adjust the committee application to include immigrant residents, and to give updates on when the city applies for the Waters of the U.S. grant.
Residents said they don’t want to be kept in the dark on the urgent issue of fixing the unclean water situation.
At the beginning of the meeting, City Manager Jessie Flores delivered a lengthy presentation on Adelanto’s financial prosperity and incoming revenue for this year.
Instead of focusing on incoming housing developments and new businesses, which will further impact the water quality for current residents, individuals like Gustavo Zamora urge the council to finally address the issues currently facing Adelanto.
Veronica Manzo says her hair is falling out and her children’s skin is dry as a result of the contaminated water in Adelanto. “Without water, we can’t live,” she says. Her sentiments echo those of the 600 who signed the petition, if not more Adelanto residents.
What is wrong with Adelanto’s water?
PFOS contamination was detected at 4.3 parts per trillion (ppt) in an Adelanto water sample in early 2023. According to Marin & Murphy Law Firm, who are “closely following” the case, that is a concerning amount of contamination.
PFOS is a specific type of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are a group of artificial chemicals that have been widely used in various industries since the 1940s. They’re found in consumer products, like non-stick cookware, food packaging, and stain-resistant fabrics.
Adelanto isn’t the first High Desert locality exposed to water contaminants. Similarly, PFAS toxins were detected at high levels in the groundwater at Edwards Air Force Base in 2018.
These contaminants pose serious health risks to those exposed to them, including testicular and kidney cancer and ulcerative colitis, according to health experts.
Resident Magda Torrellis stated that the water situation in Adelanto is “horrible” at the council meeting, and shared a lighthearted anecdote with the council about getting “Montezuma’s revenge” the first time she drank Adelanto water.
“You go in to take a shower, and you come out smelling like Charlie the Tuna,” she continued.
She wonders if the bout with cancer she had last year was directly linked to the poor quality of water in Adelanto. She’s also tired of changing out water filters. What should be every four or five months is an every-month procedure in Adelanto, costing residents hundreds of dollars a year on top of a water bill.
What are some solutions?
According to resident Alexis de Jesus, Adelanto tap water comes out brown, cloudy, foul-smelling, and leaves a residue behind. “Our community should not have to think twice before grabbing a glass of water, showering, cooking, or doing laundry.”
Good drinking water filters start at about $75. Good ones can run more than $200. Shower filters also average about $200.
Veronica Manzo says the city should offer its residents options. She suggests offering low-cost or zero financing for household water filters.
Flores also mentioned that the city hoped to apply to the Waters of the U.S. Grant, but has not yet. The grant addresses lead, copper, and PFAS in drinking water to “hopefully” deliver cleaner water to grant recipient communities, Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Ramos said.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: ‘Without water, we can’t live.’ Adelanto residents appeal for clean drinking water
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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