California prison water supply contaminated

On June 25, 2004, a memorandum was issued out to the inmate population at SVSP stating that the water supply had been contaminated. A preliminary testing showed nitrate levels at 50 parts per million, which is higher than it should be. The warden ordered all water works to be immediately shut down. Showers, sinks, toilet etc. etc. It remained that way for the next 5 or 6 days, with staff coming in once a day to give the inmate population a courtesy flush. Also, staff has been issuing out two cups of bottled water per day to the inmates.

As of today's date, July 19, 2004, the water works have been turned back on, but the two cups of bottled water are still being issued out. When the so-called discovery of the contaminated water supply was discovered, the prison had already been on lockdown for a staff assault that took place on May 29, 2004. Due to the overall corruption here at SVSP and the outright denial of inmates to have access to the courts, many believe that the polluting of the water supply was a deliberate retaliatory act on the part of staff, involving malicious contributory negligence at the least.

The warden as well as the administrative staff knows that people require more than two cups of water a day. With the water being issued out in such small rations, we cannot even cook the food items purchased from the prison commissary that require hot water, such as top ramen soups, dry beans, rice, etc. etc. Also, without enough water to drink, we cannot maintain a high level of physical training to keep ourselves fit and healthy. Staff knows this as well, and no one seems to have an answer as to when the water supply will be safe to consume.

The memorandum issued on July 25, 2004 stated that it is a slow process to recharge the water supply tanks because they hold approximately two million gallons. From that date until now, anyone in their rational minds couldn't possibly believe it takes almost a month to refill the water tanks with drinkable water. Weather or not this is an ongoing sadistic experiment on the inmate population to reduce its physical strength, or simply a deliberate retaliatory act on the part of staff, involving malicious contributory negligence is unknown. Whatever the case, with the corrupt history of this administration, neither seems far fetched for the conscious soldiers in the struggle. Nothing is by coincidence or happenstance in dealing with a structured organization like CDC.

- a California prisoner, July 2004