General (18)
Susana Barrios
From:Stephanie Mercadante <burglin.stephanie@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, April 7, 2026 5:
To:Public Comment
Subject:\[EXTERNAL\] On Behalf of Stephanie Mercadante, District 4, Councilmember Norma
Campos Kurtz
Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message.
For public comment on April 07, 2026:
Councilmembers,
We already know Anaheim has drinking water concerns.
The City has 15 drinking water wells—yet only about 7 are currently active.
One of those, Well 39, contains perchlorate—a chemical commonly associated with fireworks—and is
no longer used for regular drinking water.
Perchlorate is toxic.
It affects thyroid function, affects children's growth and development, and interferes with fetal brain
development.
And the source of that contamination has not been clearly explained to the public.
We know that people are exposed through drinking water, contaminated groundwater, and food
grown in contaminated soil.
At the same time, Anaheim has had decades of nightly fireworks activity releasing similar compounds
into the environment.
We are asking a very simple question: Has the City ruled fireworks out as a contributing source?
If not, then you have a responsibility to investigate.
If you don't investigate, it’s a failure to act.
When a city knows a contaminant is present, knows it is harmful, and knows a potential source is
operating every single night, refusing to investigate is not a neutral position. It leaves residents
without answers. It leaves families unsure about what they are drinking, what their children are
exposed to, and what long-term risks are being ignored.
A regulated toxic chemical is already in Anaheim’s water system. That is a fact. And a long-running
environmental source exists in this city that has never been publicly ruled out. Those two realities
deserve more than dismissal — they require answers.
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Residents should not have to fight for basic clarity about their own water. The City should not be
relying on assumptions or dismissals when the issue involves a regulated toxic chemical.
If the City believes fireworks are not contributing, then the City should be able to demonstrate that
with actual data. If the City cannot demonstrate that, then the only responsible step is to investigate.
Anaheim families deserve transparency. They deserve answers grounded in evidence. And they
deserve leadership that treats water quality as a matter of public health, not public relations.
Thank you.
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