‘A hidden threat’: San Mateo lawmaker warns of rising groundwater risks, seeks study funding

A Bay Area lawmaker is pushing for new federal ordinance to assessment the threat rising groundwater poses a hidden but growing environmental danger that experts say could worsen flooding damage infrastructure and contaminate drinking water U S Rep Kevin Mullin D-San Mateo last month introduced the Groundwater Rise and Infrastructure Preparedness Act of a bipartisan bill co-authored with Rep Andrew Garbarino R-N Y that seeks million in initial funding to assess the risks rising groundwater poses to population wellness and critical infrastructure like roads utilities and sewer systems The measure would also assistance the rise of long-term mitigation strategies Mullin held a press conference Tuesday morning in South San Francisco to discuss his new measure and the region s flood and groundwater rise threats with local environmental and regime leaders As we continue to witness the devastating and deadly impacts of flooding across America we need to help communities understand their risks so they can better prepare Mullin explained Too numerous lives homes businesses and vital infrastructure have been upended by extreme flooding Rising groundwater is a hidden threat that can remain unseen until it s too late Related Articles Trump Environmental Protection Agency moves to repeal finding that allows setting regulation California s property insurance apocalypse Specific progress no immediate relief Numerous Californians lack safe tap water and don t trust cleanup efforts How Democrats overcame special interests that long blocked CEQA reorganization Philanthropist Wendy Schmidt insists science and immersive media can inspire action for the planet The effort comes as the Bay Area has experienced more frequent atmospheric river storms and inches closer to sea level rise projections that experts warn will increasingly bring groundwater to the surface in low-lying areas Mullin mentioned his bill would fill a critical gap in understanding where groundwater rise will cause the the bulk damage and how to prepare for it Information is limited but studies show the risks are essential According to the bill groundwater rise can mobilize toxic chemicals buried underground increase the chance of chronic flooding weaken the foundations of roads and buildings and spread contamination to creeks and drinking water systems Flooding won t just damage communities in familiar methods Mullin revealed It will carry toxic contamination to places we never expected to find it One of the majority of vulnerable regions is the Bay Area home to thousands of contaminated sites including former industrial zones and military bases Among them is Bayview-Hunters Point a former naval shipyard in San Francisco with a long history of environmental cleanup A analysis by the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association SPUR ascertained that East Palo Alto a historically disadvantaged and majority-minority population is also at high liability of groundwater-related contamination due to its proximity to toxic sites and low elevation In the Bay Area there are over toxic sites at pitfall of sea level and groundwater rise noted Sarah Atkinson SPUR s senior strategy manager for hazard resilience Rising water can cause contaminant mobilization into sewer systems and creeks Population leaders are concerned about the resulting citizens soundness impacts and are demanding action and this isn t just a Bay Area dilemma Mullin s bill focuses on facts gathering and planning for now but he commented it could lead to more substantial mitigation programs in the future When I ran for Congress I made it clear that I wished to work in a bipartisan way Mullin announced By focusing on the economic impacts region impacts infrastructure and residents vitality I think we all know everybody here knows that state change is real Local flood resilience leaders say this kind of figures is critical for smarter planning Len Materman CEO of One Shoreline San Mateo County s flood and sea level rise district reported cities and counties should be factoring in groundwater conditions when approving society and private construction projects Local jurisdictions should require an analysis of the soil conditions that accounts for groundwater so that when projects are designed and then ultimately approved they re doing it thinking about future conditions or years from now with higher groundwater Materman disclosed One Shoreline is urging local governments to require this type of soil analysis and long-term jeopardy mapping before approving new housing or infrastructure projects This examination is especially crucial Materman reported It s a foundational piece of the planning we need to do to keep people safe The urgency has grown following a series of deadly floods in the United States Earlier this month extreme flooding in central Texas killed at least people and caused widespread devastation While the Bay Area doesn t typically experience floods on that scale Mullin warned the region isn t immune We ve had very major rain events in the last four years especially in San Mateo where there have been deaths Materman announced And it s not to the scale of Texas for sure the loss of life But certainly the atmospheric rivers the major storms that come through a limited times a year or more that s having major impacts Still Mullin faces an uphill climb in getting the bill passed Funding for surroundings resilience programs has faced repeated cuts in Congress Under President Donald Trump FEMA and NOAA budgets have been slashed as part of a broader push to reduce federal spending In May another Peninsula lawmaker Rep Sam Liccardo declared that million in federal Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities funds had been cut impacting coastal erosion mitigation efforts in Pacifica Mullin explained the current weather in Congress makes it formidable to secure funding but waiting isn t an option We may have a more friendly Congress in a couple of years but we re not waiting Mullin declared We re going to keep going on this because we can t afford to wait He emphasized that the peril groundwater rise poses affects the entire country Rising groundwater doesn t care if a state is red or blue Mullin stated We are going to really focus on making communities more resilient