Addressing Health Concerns from PCE Contamination in Santa Rosa, California

The primary issue for many Western Region TOSC communities is groundwater contamination and its potential health effects. One such community is the West College Neighborhood Association in Santa Rosa, California. In 1995, perchloroethylene (PCE) was first discovered in domestic water supply wells. In later years, the contamination was found to be extensive; the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board found that 28 of 123 sampled wells had PCE at concentrations above the State of California Public Health Goal of 0.06µg/l.

In 2001, the Water Quality Control Board referred the community to TOSC and suggested that we might be able to help answer questions about health concerns and the investigation and cleanup process. In addition, the community asked TOSC to help with the development of an outreach and education plan that the Sonoma County Health Department (SCHD) would use to address hazardous substance contamination in domestic water supply wells. The plan includes a groundwater response plan, risk-based community outreach and education, health outreach and education, well education, and healthcare provider education.

Much of TOSC’s work has focused on the development of this community outreach and education plan. We participated in meetings between the community and the SCHD and provided supplemental health information as it was requested. For example, in 2001, we prepared a fact sheet on PCE that could be distributed in the neighborhood. Later, we helped the community investigate ways they might maintain a database of community health data. We researched the type of information the database might include and ways that confidentiality and database maintenance could be addressed. Early this year, we also participated in a medical outreach conference that was organized as part of the outreach and education plan. The conference included topics such as exposure histories and chemicals in the environment and their effects on humans.

Soon, the outreach and education plan will be completed and TOSC has agreed to help the community and the SCHD evaluate and reflect on the development process they’ve been through. TOSC will administer a questionnaire to solicit community and agency opinions and will prepare a summary report with conclusions and recommendations. This evaluation process will help the community and the SCHD improve the county's health outreach and education services. We expect to complete the evaluation this summer.

If you would like additional information about TOSC's work with the West College neighborhood, please contact Michael Fernandez at michael.fernandez@ orst.edu or 541-737-4023.