In other parts of California (Kern County) oil companies have been selling oil field waste water, which they have "treated" to farmers for agricultural use for decades. Oil giant Chevron recycles 21 million gallons of that water each day and sells it to farmers who use it on about 45,000 acres of crops, about 10% of Kern County's farmland. LA Times article by Julie Cart, May 2, 2015 And when tested that water has been found to contain acetone and methyl chloride. Only recently are state officials requiring better testing of water used for agriculture. Acetone was found in testing in 2014, but not in a March 2015 test. An accompanying graphic cited the levels of three chemicals found in untreated oil field water: oil, 240,000-480,000 parts per million; acetone, 440-530 parts per billion; and methylene chloride, 82-89 parts per billion. However, the graphic omitted the levels found in tests of treated water: oil, 130-1,300 parts per million; acetone, 57-79 parts per billion; and methylene chloride, 26-56 parts per billion. Also, the source of the untreated water was misidentified. The samples were from the Poso Creek Oil Field, not an oil field owned by Chevron. LA Times Article by Julie Cart, May 2, 2015 And Sen. Fran Pavley is sponsoring legislation, which will strengthen testing of water used in agriculture.
But until then requirements for testing are minimal, and the decades old practice is likely to continue. Is this a practice in Ventura County?
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