Study to See if River Is Threat to Water Supply
A three-year study will try to determine if contamination of the lower Russian River from painkillers, birth-control pills and chemicals endangers the public water supply.
Sonoma County officials said it will be the first time the river will be tested for “emerging contaminants,” a group of chemicals found in medicine chests and on farms that are not part of routine water-quality tests.
The Russian River is the main water source for the Sonoma County Water Agency, which serves about 600,000 people in Sonoma and Marin counties.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
