The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a consent decree with the operators of Oasis Mobile Home Park to address violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The agreement requires updates to the park's drinking water and wastewater systems and imposes a $50,000 penalty.
"The EPA is fully committed to ensuring that everyone has safe drinking water," said Joel Jones, Acting Director of the EPA's Pacific Southwest Enforcement and Compliance Division. "We will continue to use the full authority granted by the Safe Drinking Water Act to hold water operators accountable for meeting drinking water standards."
The consent decree mandates extensive upgrades and operational improvements to Oasis's drinking water system over the next two years. Key requirements include installing alarms in the treatment system, adding 80,000 gallons of storage capacity, installing a booster pump, purchasing critical spare parts, and ensuring qualified public water system operators are on-site daily until alarm systems are installed. Additionally, comprehensive standard operating procedures must be developed for the public water system.
Quarterly meetings with the EPA will be required to review compliance progress under the decree. The operators must notify the EPA within 24 hours if any violations pose an immediate threat to public health or the environment.
The agreement also requires collaboration with an EPA contractor for a wastewater system assessment by March 2026. Operators must address issues identified during this assessment after completing improvements to Oasis's drinking water system.
Oasis Mobile Home Park is located in Thermal in eastern Coachella Valley, California, within Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Tribal Reservation boundaries. With about 1,000 residents primarily serving agricultural workers, it is the largest mobile home settlement in the valley. Despite its location on tribal land, Oasis's public water and wastewater systems operate independently from tribal control or ownership. The park’s groundwater contains high levels of naturally occurring arsenic—a known carcinogen—which can increase cancer risks when consumed over many years.
Since 2019, several Emergency Administrative Orders have been issued by the EPA due to high arsenic levels exceeding ten parts per billion and inadequate operation of arsenic treatment systems. These orders have led to significant improvements; however, compliance issues remain concerning long-term arsenic treatment capabilities at Oasis.
Filed by the Department of Justice in U.S. District Court for Central California, this consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period from January 23 through February 24, 2025—pending final court approval. Information on submitting comments and accessing settlement agreements can be found on both DOJ’s Proposed Consent Decree webpage and other relevant platforms.
Further details about Oasis Mobile Home Park SDWA Consent Decree are available through various channels including social media platforms like FacebookExit EPA’s website InstagramExit EPA’s website XExit EPA’s website.
