Many local stores are experiencing high volume purchases of hand sanitizer, toilet paper and bottled water. Desert Water Agency is alerting the community to the fact that tap water is a safe, reliable and less expensive alternative to purchasing bottled water.
Tap water in California is subjected to some of the strictest quality and safety standards in the world. Water is regulated by the California Water Resources Control Board and tap water providers are required to do thorough testing and reporting.
“Local tap water is high quality,” said Desert Water Agency Lab Director, Paul Monroy. “It is a safe option for drinking, cleaning and cooking not only during this emergency but also on a daily basis.”
Public water agency employees are disaster service workers. Desert Water Agency employees have satellite and radio communication capabilities and special access that allows critical services to continue during an emergency.
“We want to ensure that people know tap water will be available even in a quarantine scenario,” said General Manager Mark Krause. “Most of our sites can be operated from a laptop or cell phone – and for those that cannot, we will have staff dispatched to keep the system running.”
The Agency is cancelling its workshops, tours and events scheduled for March and April though its Board Meetings and business at its office are currently continuing as planned.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and respect to our more vulnerable community members, we are cancelling our upcoming events,” said Board President Joseph K. Stuart.
The Agency does recommend keeping a two week supply of stored water on hand for earthquakes and other natural disasters that may impact the pipelines that deliver tap water.