CCWI.org... Your water and mine?

Take Action... Our Watershed is at risk!

Below are some of the things you can do to take action to protect your watershed.

Complaints and Comments

You can write a letter to a public agency or to decision makers and help affect water policy. CCWI responds to complaints of water pollution and water quality degradation. Click here to go to the Complaints page to see CCWI's recent comments to agencies or organizations which make decisions affecting water quality.

Have you detected water contamination, pollution, or other problems in your area? Click here for the CCWI Water Pollution Complaint Form. Remember to take lots of photos, and to call CCWI or an enforcement agency right away.

Water Quality Monitoring

Become a Citizen Monitor. Find out more here.

Climate Change

What can you do about climate change?

1) Educate yourself about the issue.

Climate change is a very complex topic. The science and politics involved reach from the North Pole to the car you drive.

New- Go see "An Inconvenient Truth"- A documentary movie about climate change featuring Al Gore, who travels across America describing the threat of global warming and how to address it. The film starts the weekend of June 2nd and runs through June 8th at the Rialto theater in Santa Rosa. Visit the information table on opening weekend sponsored by the Climate Protection Campaign and CCWI. Community Clean Water Institute, the Climate Protection Campaign, the Sierra Club, and Solar Sebastopol will have a table in the lobby after the film, where you can learn more about what we are doing locally to reduce green house gas emissions and take action, including endorsing Sonoma's community target for greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 25% below 1990 levels by 2015. For more information, check www.climatecrisis.net.
For more information on local showings contact the Rialto Cinemas Lakeside 707-539-9771 at 551 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa.

News: Katrina and Climate Change

Here are some links to find out more about climate change:
The Climate Protection Campaign's Climate 101 page
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability: Cities for Climate Protection
Union of Concerned Scientists: About Global Warming

2) Make individual choices

Here are a few effective consumer choices you can make to reduce your use of fossil fuels: 1) Buy a fuel efficient or hybrid car (the Toyota Prius gets ~50 mpg), 2) plant a native plant garden instead of a lawn and use low flow shower heads and toilets, 3) insulate your house better with double pane windows and buy Energy Star appliances, 4) donate money to groups like CCWI that work on this issue. OK, that was easy, now check out the Big Picture Solutions.

3) Talk to people, form a group, join a group, lobby for change!

In 2001, two concerned citizens (just like you) decided to get every city in Sonoma County to pass resolutions to quantify and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. You can do the same in your city and county. Once all the cities had passed the resolution, they approached the regional air quality district to include them in the regional effort. Citizens can be the wind driving the ship of government.

4) Big Picture Solutions

Climate change is a big problem, and here are some big picture solutions, including Contraction and Convergence, and Individual Emissions Entitlements. Click here.

Groundwater

This page contains information on groundwater. For more publications, click "Current Issues" above, and go to "Data" or the topic you are looking for (Example: "First Flush").

Well factsheets:

A critique of the Kleinfelder Report can be found at owlfoundation.net (click here)
The Kleinfelder Report- Groundwater study including Joy Road. (pdf on the County PRMD website)

How to find out about your well:

1. Research Existing Information

Property owners have access to the Well Driller's Report, also called the 'well log'. The well log describes the types of soil and rock the driller found when the well was drilled, the approximate yield of the well at that time, and at what level the pump or intake was installed. The report should be on file with the County Permit and Resource Management Department.

If you are concerned about pesticide use in your area, you can request to review records at the County Agricultural Commissioner's office (707) 565-2371. Commercial and agricultural applicators of pesticides must file monthly pesticide use reports with the Commissioner. Private homeowners do not. For health and safety information on a specific chemical or pesticide, ask the Commissioner's Office, local retailers, or the company which is using the chemical, for a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

If there are any small water districts in the area also using wells then there will be quarterly monitoring submitted to the state which can be helpful in focusing the
analytical testing list. You can call your local water district, and ask if this information is available. The State Water Quality Control Board has a regional office in Santa Rosa (Region 1), with records open to the public. The State Water Resources Control Board is in Sacramento. Both websites are www.swrcb.ca.gov.

2. Perform a Basic Quantity Test on your Well

CCWI has a well monitoring fact sheet which explains how to do simple tests such as depth and recharge, to measure water quantity. CCWI has a fisherscope, and can assist with the water quantity test.

3. Hire a Lab/ Do Chemical Tests

To do your own tests, you may hire a local water testing laboratory. There are several in the phone book. Local companies which test well water queality include Analytical Sciences, Inc. based in Petaluma (707) 769-3128, and Brelje & Race (707) 544-8807. The County of Sonoma will test for bacteria only, for $20. You must go to their office in Santa Rosa to obtain collection jars, and can expect results in a few days. The Department of Health Services Laboratory phone number is (707) 565-4711.

For further testing, look to private companies such as National Testing Laboratories, Ltd. They perform tests on 75 to 95 parameters including pesticides, metals, and inorganics:
WATERCHECK broad spectrum of 75 contaminants: $125
WATERCHECK WITH PESTICIDE (20 pesticides, herbicides, PCB): $155
WATERTEST for 33 contaminants for municipal water users: $85
Contact: www.watercheck.com (800) 458-3330

What to do about a Contaminated Well

Step 1: Water Testing
Only a laboratory test can tell you the quantity of a contaminant actually present. Knowing what's in your water will help decide which filtering method to select. Testing should always be done by a reputable or certified laboratory. Local private companies such as Analytical Sciences, Inc. (707-769-3128) of Petaluma, and Brelje & Race (707-544-8807) of Santa Rosa perform well water testing. A national company, National Testing Laboratories, Ltd. performs tests on 75 to 95 parameters including pesticides, metals, and inorganics for $125:
WATERCHECK WITH PESTICIDE (20 pesticides, herbicides, PCB): $155
WATERTEST for 33 contaminants for municipal water users: $85
Contact: www.watercheck.com (800) 458-3330

Step 2: Filtration

Activated Carbon (AC) AC filtration is recognized by the Water Quality Association as an acceptable method to maintain certain drinking water contaminants within the limits of the EPA National Drinking Water Standards. Trihalomethanes, benzene, PCB, industrial solvents, and pesticides are some of the chemicals removed.*

Activated Carbon Filter Options:

Counter top ("Brita"): Not sufficient; removes less than 50% of chemicals

Under the Sink (point of use): These relatively inexpensive ($100-$400) systems are very effective in cleaning the water at your kitchen sink. They do need cartridge changes every 3-6 months, and do not clean your bathing or irrigation water. Therefore, these systems are best for households looking for peace of mind in safeguarding against trace chemicals or future contamination. It is still important to regularly test your water. The State certifies these units for health claims, check out a list or products at dhs dot gov. 

Whole-house (point of entry): These will clean all the water coming into your home. There are no CA certified filters for the entire house. Uncertified filters are however available at reasonable cost ($150-$500), at places like Home Depot. Low demand for such filters has kept manufacturers from investing in the costly certification process, so homeowners can not use State safeguards as guidance for choosing a good brand.

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