BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Lerdo Jail inmates say contaminated water still poses health risk despite sheriff's office filters.
Inmates at Lerdo Jail in Kern County say they are being exposed to diesel-contaminated water, and some claim the filters installed by the Kern County Sheriff's Office are not working.
The contamination was identified on Jan. 22, according to KCSO. For more than a month, the sheriff's department says they have been trying to determine how diesel ended up in the water system.
Joel Swanson, Chief Deputy with KCSO, said the source has been partially identified.
"At the moment we've seen trace of diesel fuel coming out from one of the pumps coming out of Lerdo. We have stopped that pump, and are currently cleaning that out."
Swanson said the department has taken steps to protect inmates while the investigation continues.
"We have brought in water for our incarcerated persons out there and are providing that also to them for drinking water. We have also installed filters in the showers so they can shower in clean water."
But inmates say those measures are not enough, including Shyla Ayers. She says on her on her side of the detention facility, the showers were never shut off and that the filters have not resolved the problem.
"They tried to tell us they put filters in the shower. Claiming we would be safe to shower, but they are still unsafe... The water is still unsafe, like I said you can literally smell it when you turn on the water."
Ayers said she and other inmates are fearful for their health.
"They need to figure something out. It's almost like they don't care. Maybe because we are criminals and obviously we are locked up."
On the men's side of the detention center, some inmates went without showers for a week. Showers on that side were turned back on Feb. 22.
Julian Harper, a male inmate at Lerdo, said the water still does not seem right.
"When I showered for the first time it smelled of strong chemicals."
Harper said he believes inmate's rights are being violated.
"We have been able to shower since Sunday. The water to me smells funny. We have the right to practice personal hygiene and I feel like our rights are being violated. Also people are becoming ill."
When asked directly how diesel came into contact with the water, Swanson said the department doesn't have the answer yet.
Kern Public Health told me they were not informed of the issue until Feb. 10. In a statement, the agency said: "Water quality at Lerdo is regulated by the State Division of Drinking Water (DDW). Public Health's involvement relates to evaluating potential health risks associated with other exposure pathways, such as dermal exposure."
Swanson said the department's last water test was conducted in late January, when the trace of diesel was found. He said officials are actively working to resolve the issue and hope to have answers soon.
"We're hoping within the next couple weeks we'll at least have an answer. Depending on that answer we will then determine our next course of action. We will determine whether we need to drill new wells, set up a water treatment plan, or look for other sources of water to get to the facility. We won't know until we can fully identify where the problem came from. We are actively working on it and are hoping within the next couple weeks to have an answer."
While steps have been taken to address the situation, it remains unknown how long the temporary measures will be in place
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
