SOLEDAD 
Contaminated well forces state prison to ration water 
Toilet flushing, hand washing, showers limited 
- Maria Alicia Gaura, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, July 1, 2004 
 

A contaminated well at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad has left thousands of high-security inmates confined to smelly cellblocks for the past week, enduring strict limits on drinking water, showers and even toilet flushing. 

State officials are trying to restore at least partial water service to the prison's 4,500 inmates until a water filtration system can be installed. In the meantime, inmates, inmates' families and even some prison employees are grumbling about the stink, inconvenience and possible health hazards caused by the water shortage. 

Prisoners' rights advocate Cayenne Bird, director of United for No Injustice, Oppression or Neglect (UNION), said Wednesday that she has been inundated with calls from inmates' family members since the problem began last Thursday. 

"Inmates tell me they are being rationed to three six-ounce cups of water per day," Bird said. "This must include water for hand washing." 

She said some inmates report waiting as long as 10 hours to flush their toilets, and that some prisoners have been locked down and forced to eat in their cells just feet from unflushed commodes. 

However, prison spokesman Lt. Eloy Medina said toilets are being flushed every three hours, and that water rations started at 32 ounces a day and had been raised to 64 ounces a day on the advice of prison doctors. 

Medina said prison officials were hoping to restore water for showers and toilets sometime today. Inmates have been allowed just one three-minute shower since last Thursday. 

One health care worker at the prison, who asked not to be named, said the conditions were miserable and tensions were running high. The discomfort is exacerbated by Soledad's hot summer weather, with temperatures inside the cell blocks hitting 80 degrees on an average day. 

The close quarters, with two inmates residing in cells approximately 12 by 6 feet, make the lack of showers more oppressive. 

Still, Medina insisted, "morale is pretty good. Everyone understands the situation and that we're doing what we can." 

Salinas Valley State Prison opened in 1996 with two wells. But nitrate pollution, a result of leaking septic systems and decades worth of agricultural fertilizers leaching into groundwater, forced prison officials to cap one well in 1999, Medina said. 

The second well is tested weekly and nitrate levels of 50 parts per million were detected last Thursday -- 5 parts per million more than what is considered safe. 

The well was immediately shut down, and the prison started diverting water from a neighboring low- and medium-security prison. 

But there wasn't enough to replace the 700,000 gallons a day that Salinas Valley State Prison uses, and draconian reductions were implemented immediately. 

Outdoor exercise has been canceled, with inmates limited to their cells and day rooms to prevent unnecessary sweating, dehydration and sanitation risks, Medina said. 

State health officials have agreed to let prison officials use the contaminated water for showers and toilets. In the long term, prison officials hope to have a filtration system installed before the year's end. 

"We anticipate turning the water back on (today)," Medina said. "If all goes as planned." 

E-mail Maria Alicia Gaura at  [email protected] . 

URL:  http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/07/01/BAG4S7ENOQ1.DTL

June 2004

Dear Cayenne:

My husband called today and he is getting only three six ounce glasses of water.  He hasn't had a shower since a week ago Wednesday, only some of the inmates have had showers.

They seem to be off lockdown  but the whole places stinks as they are allowed to flush only twice a day.  Certainly not once every three hours. This is horrible.  Thanks for leading us to make noise.

Wife of SVSP INMATE

NOW we have poisoned water at Salinas Valley Prison, No air flow in many southern California prisons, and violent cell extractions at High Desert State Prison.  Deaths are going to occur and who will be help accountable?  Heat kills, poisoned water from seeping nitrates kills, beatings, and lack of clothing, mattresses or personal hygiene items lead to death.  Denial of sending or recieving mail kills the spirit, causes depression and weakens the family unit. 

What is next...will we put inmates up to a firing squad, behead them, bury them alive?  We are seeing these things in the newspaper daily and we need to see the torture happening in our own prisons in the great state of California.  Taxpayers open your eyes, we are going to pay for this.  We need to get smart on crime and clean up these inhumane conditions.

Shirley Wetherwax, grandmother and taxpayer

Dear Editor,

Families of prisoners and inmates are reporting a serious water shortage at Salinas Valley State Prison.  Nitrates have leaked into their water system causing this new prison to limit drinking water
and bathing for inmates.  Inmate cells are no larger than an average sized bathroom and the prisoners have not been allowed to flush their toilets since Thursday, June 24th.  Can you imagine
the smell in this heat?  Many of the inmates are sick with infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis and TB.  This is a serious health risk.  Prisoners report they are only given 3 cups of water per day
and that the poisonous nitrates may be leaking back into that water.

We treat animals at the zoo better than this.  These prisoners need safe drinking water and bathing water supplied to them immediately.

Astraea Kelly

Dear Editor:
A water crisis at Salinas Valley State Prison has been reported.  Apparently the water has been contaminated and inmates have been advised to not bathe, drink the water or flush their toilets leading to unsanitary and unhealthy conditions.  It has also been reported that they are being given three cups of water per day for drinking purposes.  Let's get real here.  General health standards tell us to drink 8 glasses of water per day in order to remain hydrated.  In the heat of summer we dehydrate quickly.  This is especially dangerous for those who are already at risk because of health problems.  Something needs to be done to address this issue.
Linda

Video cameras were allowed in Salinas Valley Prison yesterday.  The warden made the inmates clean up everything in a big rush and then put them all on lockdown while the media was in there - don't know where the film crew was from - one guy was screaming for help from his cell

"I've need to go to the doctor for 45 days and they won't take me, they're killing me."

But all the film crew could do was shoot the cell door, I am certain that after they left this inmate was in big trouble.  My loved one witnessed it all - they also do big clean ups just before a 
legislator comes out too.

There should be more "drop ins"

The inmates now have bottled water in the day room thanks to the Chronicle and the UNION families who wrote in to get attention to this.

I want to thank  you Cayenne and all the people in the UNION for taking action and risks to help others.

All for one, one for all.  I am  spreading the article that was in the Chronicle everywhere along with the rally flyer.  I am also asking friends for some contacts of movie stars which would help the 
media coverage.  We should all talk to as many people as possible.  I agree that they aren't afraid of us and will continue the abuse until we show some numbers.

Michelle

Dear Cayenne:

My son had a dental emergency at Salinas Valley but there is no water in the building where the dental treatment office is set up SO THERE IS NO DENTAL TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR UPWARDS OF 4000  MEN.

AND THE LEGISLATORS LEFT TODAY ON  VACATION FOR A MONTH. WHAT THE 
HELL IS GOING ON  HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lettie