Subject: Urgent Concern: Overlooked Chemical and Biological Contaminants in Waterways at 3313 DeWitt Rd, Modesto, CA
To: Department of Health
CC: Water Sanitation Division, Department of Water Resources
Dear Department of Health, Water Sanitation Division, and Department of Water Resources,
I am writing to urgently report a complex and dangerous contamination issue at 3313 DeWitt Rd, Modesto, CA. Recent water samples and credible reports indicate the presence of multiple hazardous substances—both chemical and biological—whose combined risks are severe and easily overlooked by standard water testing protocols.
Combined Chemical and Biological Hazards
1. Chemical Mixtures
Detected: DMT, azo compounds, phenoxyethanol, chlorine
Risks: These chemicals can interact to form highly toxic byproducts such as aromatic amines, trihalomethanes (THMs), and haloacetic acids (HAAs), linked to cancer, neurological harm, and ecological disruption. Phenoxyethanol is toxic to aquatic life and potentially harmful to humans.
2. Legacy Industrial Contaminants
Drawing on lessons from the Rippon paper mill incident, legacy pollutants can react with modern chemicals and chlorine, increasing the formation of persistent, bioaccumulative, and carcinogenic compounds.
3. Biological Threats
Agent: Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, shed in cat feces, survive in water for months and resist chlorine treatment.
Health Impact: Can cause severe illness, miscarriage, or neurological damage, especially in pregnant women, infants, and immunocompromised individuals.
Risks of Overlooked and Misread Contaminants
Standard municipal water screenings do not routinely test for emerging chemicals like phenoxyethanol, DMT, specific aromatic amines, advanced disinfection byproducts, legacy industrial pollutants, or biological threats like Toxoplasma gondii.
Detection requires advanced, targeted methods such as GC-MS and PCR.
Labs often do not test for these unless specifically requested, leading to false negatives.
Intermittent or subtle contamination may be missed due to sampling limitations.
Recommendations
Conduct comprehensive, targeted testing for DMT, azo compounds, phenoxyethanol, chlorinated byproducts, Toxoplasma gondii, and related toxins.
Update water safety protocols to include advanced screening for both chemical and biological hazards.
Investigate contamination sources, including industrial, agricultural, and biological contributors.
Maintain transparent communication with the community regarding risks and remediation efforts.
The combination of these overlooked contaminants presents a serious and urgent threat to public health and the environment. Immediate and decisive action is essential to prevent a crisis similar to those experienced in other affected communities.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical matter.
Key Contacts:
Department of Health: [Contact]
Water Sanitation Division: [Contact]
Department of Water Resources: [Contact]