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State Official: Faulty Reservoir System Contributed To Poway Water Contamination

The recent contamination of Poway’s water was caused in part by storm drain and reservoir connections that are not in compliance with state regulations, a state official told KPBS Wednesday.

The system was overwhelmed during last week’s rains and storm water flowed into a reservoir of treated water that was then piped into homes and businesses, according Sean Sterchi, the San Diego District Engineer for the state’s Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water.

Backed-Up Storm Drain Caused Poway’s Water Contamination

Poway officials said Monday they believe backed-up storm drains caused the water contamination that led to the city’s first-ever boil water advisory over the weekend.

The county health department ordered the closing of all restaurants in the city and residents are being advised to boil their tap water before drinking it or using it for cooking, city officials said.

The recent rains caused the storm drains to back up into its water treatment facility, officials said. They added that crews are working around the clock to clean and flush the system, which may take two to five days before the water is declared safe.