Are Homeless Dumping Raw Sewage Into San Joaquin Delta?
STOCKTON (CBS13) — A businessman claims homeless people are dumping buckets of raw sewage into the Delta, right next door to Stockton's drinking water intake facility.
This happened right next door to the city's drinking water intake facility.
Concerned citizens say a small encampment near the Stockton water system is alarming and they want something done about it.
Adam Farrow is a local businessman who spends a lot of time in the delta. Just recently he witnessed the dumping of raw sewage into the water. It's a problem he considers a health hazard.
"There is Hepatitis A, a lot of e. Coli, a whole lot of things that is wrong with raw sewage in the water," he said.
Farrow says the incident happened north of town on Eight Mile Road where the city's drinking water intake facility is located. It's the same place where a small homeless encampment now sits.
"The camp is growing, you can see that and if they didn't go out there and stop it before it gets out of hand, it's going to get huge and will end up, there is room for hundreds of camps," said Farrow.
There is a heavy odor of urine just feet away from the facility's fence along with garbage, people's tents, vehicles and some trailers. He believes someone in the homeless encampment dumped the raw sewage into the Delta.
"I got to quit drinking the water and just go back to drinking bottled water and forget about drinking about of the tap. I almost don't want to shower in it. That's raw sewage," he said.
The Reclamation District 2029 oversees the area even though it's a city facility that's located on a county road. Managers say they are aware of the camp and it's been reported to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. The water is treated at the facility so there's no worry of contamination. Their biggest concern is the bonfires coming from the camp.
"You can't just throw them out, what really needs to happen is some kind of housing, but for now in the short term get them at least away from that location," he said.
Farrow hopes the proper authorities can come and take a look for themselves and take action.
