Year One: The fight for safe water in Colorado mobile home parks – Denver7

Report on the Colorado Mobile Home Water Quality Act: Year One Findings and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary: Addressing Water Inequality and Promoting Health

The initial implementation of Colorado’s Mobile Home Water Quality Act reveals significant challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) for vulnerable communities. Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) indicates that in the first year, 27 mobile home parks, representing over 10% of those tested, failed to meet safe drinking water standards. This initiative directly addresses SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by targeting infrastructure and service gaps in often-overlooked housing sectors.

Analysis of Water Contamination and Public Health Implications (SDG 3 & SDG 6)

The findings highlight critical risks to public health, undermining SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The contaminants identified present both acute and chronic health threats.

• Harmful Bacteria: The presence of total coliform bacteria indicates potential pathways for more dangerous microbes to enter the water supply.
• Chemical Contaminants: Arsenic levels exceeding the federal maximum contaminant level were recorded, posing long-term cancer risks.
• Disinfection Byproducts: These substances are also linked to an increased risk of cancer over prolonged exposure.
• High Manganese Levels: State officials identified manganese concentrations above the infant health advisory level, which can be dangerous for bottle-fed infants.
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS were found above federal limits, requiring complex and long-term remediation solutions.

According to CDPHE, many of these contaminants represent chronic health risks, necessitating further investigation and a systematic approach to remediation to safeguard community health in alignment with SDG 3.

Remediation Efforts and Progress Towards SDG 6

Of the 27 parks with identified issues, more than a dozen are officially listed as “remediation in progress,” demonstrating an active effort to restore safe water access. This work is fundamental to achieving Target 6.1 of the SDGs: universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

1. Empire Junction Mobile Home Park: Found to have manganese levels exceeding the infant health advisory level. The park was required to notify parents and provide alternative water sources, a direct action to protect a vulnerable population subgroup.
2. Johnson Trailer Park: Water tests revealed high levels of both manganese and arsenic, compounding the health risks for residents and requiring a comprehensive remediation strategy.
3. Circle Drive Mobile Home Park: This park’s water tested above federal limits for PFAS, presenting a significant long-term challenge for water treatment and system improvement.

Legal Enforcement and Institutional Accountability (SDG 16)

The state’s commitment to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) is evidenced by its enforcement actions. The first lawsuit under the new act has been filed against M&M Mobile Home Park in Aurora.

• Alleged Violations: The park is accused of failing to notify residents about the presence of total coliform bacteria in June 2024 and failing to conduct required follow-up sampling within the mandated timeframe.
• Institutional Response: The Colorado Attorney General’s office filed a lawsuit and a cease-and-desist order. Civil penalties against the park have reached over $29,000.
• Owner’s Dispute: The park owner disputes the state’s findings, claiming the initial test was flawed and that subsequent tests showed the water was safe. The owner acknowledged refusing to post official notices to avoid causing financial hardship for residents.

Conclusion and Path Forward

The Mobile Home Water Quality Act is a critical step toward ensuring environmental justice and upholding the human right to clean water. While the first year has revealed concerning contamination rates, it has also established a framework for testing, remediation, and enforcement. The program, which aims to test all mobile home parks by 2028, is generating unprecedented statewide data that will be vital for future policy and investment. Continued implementation and robust enforcement are essential for Colorado to meet its commitments to SDGs 3, 6, 10, and 11, ensuring that all residents, regardless of their housing situation, have access to safe and reliable drinking water.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article directly addresses health concerns arising from contaminated drinking water. It mentions “harmful bacteria,” “arsenic,” “high manganese levels,” and “disinfection byproducts linked to cancer risk,” all of which pose significant health risks to the residents of the mobile home parks.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  This is the central theme of the article. The investigation focuses on the failure to provide safe and clean drinking water to a specific segment of the population, as highlighted by the “Mobile Home Water Quality Act” and the finding that over 10% of tested parks had “drinking water quality issues.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article focuses on residents of mobile home parks, a community that is often of a lower economic status. The park owner’s comment that “most of the folks that live in here don’t have much money left over at the end of the month” underscores this. The problem of unsafe water disproportionately affects this vulnerable group, highlighting an inequality in access to basic services.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article deals with the provision of basic services, specifically safe water, within human settlements (mobile home parks). Ensuring access to safe water is a fundamental component of making communities and housing safe, inclusive, and sustainable.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article discusses the implementation and enforcement of the “Mobile Home Water Quality Act” by state institutions like the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Attorney General’s office. The lawsuit against one park for non-compliance and failure to inform residents relates directly to institutional accountability, justice, and public access to information.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
     
     Explanation: The article’s core subject is the lack of safe drinking water for residents in 27 mobile home parks, demonstrating a clear gap in achieving universal and equitable access for this community.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
     
     Explanation: The article explicitly lists hazardous contaminants found in the water, such as “harmful bacteria to arsenic,” “high manganese levels,” and “PFAS,” which are directly linked to illnesses and chronic health risks like cancer.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
     
     Explanation: Safe drinking water is a critical basic service associated with adequate and safe housing. The article shows that this service is not being reliably provided to residents of mobile home parks.

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
     
     Explanation: The article highlights the role of state institutions (CDPHE) in implementing the Water Quality Act, testing water, and overseeing remediation. The legal action taken by the Attorney General’s office against a non-compliant park owner is a direct example of institutional accountability.
   • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
     
     Explanation: A key issue raised is the failure of the M&M Mobile Home Park owner to notify residents about water contamination. The lawsuit was filed for “failing to notify residents,” which is a direct violation of their right to access critical health and safety information.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 6.1 (Safe Drinking Water)

   • Indicator: The proportion of the population in mobile home parks using safely managed drinking water services.
     
     Evidence: The article states that “27 parks — more than 10% of those tested — had drinking water quality issues.” This provides a direct, quantifiable measure of the population group that is *not* receiving safe water.
   • Indicator: The concentration levels of specific contaminants in drinking water.
     
     Evidence: The article mentions contaminants exceeding safety thresholds, such as “arsenic over the federal maximum contaminant level,” manganese that “exceeded the infant health advisory level,” and water that “tested above federal limits for PFAS.”

2. For Target 3.9 (Illness from Pollution)

   • Indicator: The number of water systems with contamination from hazardous chemicals.
     
     Evidence: The article identifies 27 parks with water quality issues and names specific contaminants like arsenic, manganese, PFAS, and total coliform bacteria, which can be tracked to measure the extent of the health risk.

3. For Target 16.6 (Accountable Institutions)

   • Indicator: The number of enforcement actions taken for non-compliance with water quality regulations.
     
     Evidence: The article details a specific lawsuit filed by the Attorney General’s office and notes that “Civil penalties against the park now total more than $29,000.” It also mentions that “more than a dozen are currently listed by the state as ‘remediation in progress,'” indicating ongoing institutional oversight.

4. For Target 16.10 (Public Access to Information)

   • Indicator: The number of violations related to the failure to provide public notification of water contamination.
     
     Evidence: The article describes the M&M park’s alleged failure “to notify residents about contamination and complete required follow-up testing,” which is a specific, measurable instance of this indicator.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: denver7.com