Posted 7/18/2025 at 3:00PM
At Del Oro Water Company (DOWC), we fully understand and support the Strawberry community’s call for both high-quality drinking water and transparent communication. These values are central to our mission and reflect the expectations of the community we are proud to serve.
We want to take this opportunity to reassure residents of the Strawberry District that DOWC strictly follows all required water quality testing protocols and regulations as set forth by the State Water Resources Control Board – Division of Drinking Water (SWRCB-DDW). All testing is performed in full compliance with state mandates, and we meet all public reporting standards through our annual Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs)—available directly on our website.
For those seeking additional, real-time data, we encourage visiting the SWRCB-DDW’s Water Watch portal, where statewide water quality information is published and updated regularly.
Our staff includes highly trained water quality professionals who are not only experts in conducting and interpreting advanced laboratory testing, but who are also committed to presenting this information in a way that is clear and accessible to the general public.
We remain committed to transparency, regulatory compliance, and most importantly—the health and confidence of the community we serve.
Clarifying the SimpleLab Report
Recently, the Strawberry Property Owners Association (SPOA) commissioned third-party water testing through SimpleLab, with samples collected from various household taps across the community. After a thorough review of the results, we identified a critical—and potentially misleading—issue with how the data in that report was presented.
The SimpleLab report compares results against Method Detection Limits (MDLs), rather than the appropriate Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) set by regulatory agencies such as the SWRCB-DDW.
To clarify the difference:
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- MDL (Method Detection Limit): The lowest concentration of a substance that laboratory equipment can detect.
- MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level): The highest level of a substance that is legally allowed in public drinking water, based on stringent health and safety standards.
By using MDLs as the benchmark for concern, the report may have inadvertently caused confusion by implying that certain results were problematic—when in fact, none of the results reviewed to date exceed the legal and health-based MCLs established by SWRCB-DDW.
Transparent Comparison Table
To promote full transparency, we’ve included a table below that outlines:
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- The MDLs referenced in the SimpleLab report
- The actual measured values from the independent testing
- The applicable MCLs per SWRCB-DDW guidelines
- The compliance status of each parameter
This side-by-side comparison helps residents clearly understand how their drinking water measures up against both detection thresholds and enforceable regulatory standards.
We stand ready to answer any questions from SPOA or any member of the community and remain dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of public trust. We welcome open, respectful dialogue and encourage residents to reach out to our customer service or water quality teams with any questions.
If you have further concerns or would like assistance interpreting any water quality report, please reach out to our customer service or water quality team directly. We’re here to help.
Del Oro Water Company – Committed to Clean, Safe Water and Community Transparency