An environmental nonprofit organization has filed a lawsuit against the city of Livingston after its drinking water consistently exceeded the maximum contaminant level for arsenic.
The documents filed in the Fresno Division of the Eastern District of California allege the city failed to resolve the issue after receiving a 60-day notice of violation from the nonprofit, California River Watch. The nonprofit sent the letter Dec. 10, 2013, before filing the lawsuit in late March of this year.
The statewide organization said the city has violated the Federal Safe Water Drinking Act on a repeated and ongoing basis.
City Manager Jose Ramirez did not return calls for comment.
The city’s arsenic levels exceeded the state’s maximum contaminant level of 0.010 parts per million numerous times in 2009, 2012 and 2013, according to the court documents. The latest levels were recorded as 0.013 parts per million April 9 and 0.011 parts per million April 30.