BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Diesel hydrocarbons were found to be part of "an unknown substance" discovered in the Kern River's water, according to the City of Bakersfield.
The discovery was made after the substance was found in the river water by Kern County and Bakersfield officials. Following testing, it was determined that the substance had "trace amounts of diesel hydrocarbons." Diesel hydrocarbons are components that help make up crude oil and diesel fuel.
According to the City of Bakersfield, the substance will not affect public drinking water and should not be a public health concern.
“We tested water samples immediately after this was reported and public health experts at the State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water confirmed there was no acute risk to public health,” said David Beard, the Improvement District 4 Manager for the Kern County Water Agency. “As such, the agencies have been working together since then to understand the scope of the situation and assist wherever possible in order to resolve it. In addition, ongoing follow-up testing shows no detections of the substance in the treated water.”
The California Water Service (CalWater), Bakersfield Fire Department, Improvement District 4, and the City of Bakersfield "took immediate steps to test the water, conduct aerial and ground investigations, and remove the substance with absorbent booms," according to the City of Bakersfield.
Despite the findings being no risk to public health, the City of Bakersfield claims that it felt the need to inform the public "in the spirit of transparency."
“Although there is no acute risk to public health, in the spirit of transparency, the coordinating agencies all believed it was important to notify the public of the situation and efforts to resolve it,” said Joe Conroy, Public Information Officer for the City of Bakersfield. “We will continue to work together until the issue in the river has been resolved.”
City and county officials are still searching for the cause of the substance and suspect that the cause was near Hart Park. The city is asking that anyone who "saw or knows of an unusual event" near Hart Park to contact the Kern County Public Health Department at eh@KernCounty.com or the City of Bakersfield at prevention@BakersfieldFire.us.
