San Francisco & Oakland Water Pollution Lawyers
Landlords have a legal obligation to provide safe drinking water. Specifically, state law requires that a landlord provide:
“A water supply approved under applicable law that is under the control of the tenant, capable of producing hot and cold running water, or a system that is under the control of the landlord, that produces hot and cold running water, furnished to appropriate fixtures, and connected to a sewage disposal system approved under applicable law.” Civil Code § 1941.1.
Sometimes in rural areas, where well water is the primary water supply for the tenants, the well becomes contaminated with bacteria. Well water that is intended as the primary supply of drinking and cooking water needs to be frequently monitored and tested.
If you are a tenant in the Bay Area, contact Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., at 415-835-6777.
Enforcing The Landlord’s Duty
Even if a landlord informs the tenant that the water should not be used for drinking or cooking, said notice does not mean the landlord has met his or her responsibility. A landlord must always provide drinkable and clean water to the tenant regardless of what the lease agreement states.
Where water supplies are not properly maintained and secured, animal feces and urine can cause harmful coliforms to develop and contaminate the water. When tenants and guests are harmed due to a landlord’s failure to maintain a clean and safe supply of water, the tenant may have not only habitability claims against the landlord, but personal injury claims as well.
Aside from bacteria, water systems that have been over-chlorinated can be dangerous to people and cause damage to personal items. The attorneys at BV Law have seen instances where over-chlorinated water systems have caused skin irritation, bleached tenants’ hair, bleached clothes, and caused other harm.
Ensure You Have Safe And Clean Drinking Water In The Bay Area
If you are in a situation where the landlord is not providing safe and clean drinking water to your home, please Contact either Michael Bracamontes or Ryan Vlasak at 415-835-6777 at Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., immediately for a free consultation. Our Oakland water pollution attorneys at BV Law have extensive experience in multi-tenant and multi-plaintiff lawsuits.