Commentary | Treatment to Local Wellhead Will Bring Safe Water to Somis Residents

        Commentary by William Hicks

After reading the article titled “Treatment to Local Wellhead Will Bring Safe Water to Somis Residents,” – https://www.citizensjournal.us/treatment-to-local-wellhead-will-bring-safe-water-to-somis-residents/ in the June 29th Ventura Citizens Journal, it peaked my interest as to how safe the water is at wellhead 2 in Somis.

I did, like so many of us do, and googled health risks with iron and manganese in drinking water. At first review of an article from a different State, it seemed surely of some health concern, So I contacted County Supervisor Linda Parks who was wise enough to refer me to Joseph Pope, Director of Water and Sanitation from Ventura County Public Works. Mr. Pope was quite open to my questions regarding water safety and the mitigation process to remove the iron and manganese from Wellhead Number 2 in Somis (District 19).

Mr. Pope emphasized that both the level of iron and manganese in the wellhead is naturally occurring and does not represent a health concern, that it is more aesthetic than anything else and has been known to have iron and manganese in it back to the early 1990’s. I must say at this point that the article on the 29th of June did say that the iron and manganese level was not a health risk, but my instincts told me to ask the question after my googled research. Mr. Pope also said he has not received any health complaints from the water.

Mr. Pope was gracious enough to explain the mitigation process to me. It’s called “Green Sand Filter Vessels,” The most effective method to remove iron and manganese from the water.  For those that are interested in more detail in the mitigation process I suggest you go to https://www.waterprofessionals.com/learningcenter/greensand-filtration/ It’s quite informative. I would like to extend my thanks to Mr. Pope for his prompt response to my inquiry and his more than adequate answers to the safety of the water at Wellhead 2.

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