Demand for immediate bottled water distribution for vulnerable and elderly Clear Creek residents

To the Board of Directors and management of Clear Creek CSD
Our community is entering its third week without safe tap water due to ongoing E. coli contamination.

Following the recent water main break and the subsequent system-wide chlorine shock, the district’s continued failure to mobilize alternative, safe water resources has crossed from a lack of transparency into a severe public health hazard.

This crisis is no longer a mere inconvenience; it is a direct threat to our most vulnerable neighbors.

Clear Creek is home to elderly residents, individuals with mobility issues and immunocompromised households that cannot safely or physically comply with a prolonged boil water advisory.

The district’s current “patience” strategy ignores critical logistics and health realities
Physical limitations
Boiling gallons of water daily requires lifting heavy pots and managing boiling water — tasks that are physically impossible or highly dangerous for many of our elderly residents.

Economic strain
Expecting fixed-income seniors to continuously purchase and transport heavy cases of bottled water from outside the district for weeks on end is completely unacceptable.

Acute health risks
E. coli exposure causes severe, rapid dehydration and life-threatening complications in older adults. Furthermore, the district’s current 2.0 chlorine “shock” levels produce volatile water that is highly irritating to elderly skin and respiratory systems.

As a public utility, your primary mandate is public safety. You cannot leave vulnerable residents stranded during a biological crisis.

We demand that Clear Creek CSD immediately coordinate with Lassen County Emergency Services or mobilize district emergency funds to establish a centralized bottled water distribution point (such as the local fire station) within the next 48 hours.

Furthermore, the district must establish a direct delivery protocol for homebound or elderly residents who cannot leave their properties.

We expect a public notice outlining the district’s alternative water distribution plan to be issued immediately.

Nicolette Moroney, Clear Creek