When Sonoma State University students received an urgent email warning them not to drink or use campus water earlier this month, confusion spread across residence halls. From Beaujolais to Sauvignon Village, residents scrambled to figure out what was safe and what wasn’t.
The university’s notice came after water testing revealed possible concerns with the campus supply. SSU officials advised students to avoid using tap water for drinking, showering, cooking, or brushing their teeth until further notice. While bottled water was distributed across housing villages, it left students and faculty uncertain about how to proceed.
Blair Robertson, spokesperson at the State Water Resources Control Board, said that, “based on the information the water system has provided, the overdose was discovered around 5:00 p.m. on October 11. SSU personnel initiated an alert to water users that instructed them not to drink or use the water for specific activities.”
“We monitored the water system on a routine basis,” said Dana Twedwell, environmental health and safety at SSU. “When the control system allowed for fresh well water to enter the storage tanks, we noticed the water had been over-chlorinated. We informed management, and a notice was sent out to campus users.”
The school then contacted the “Sonoma District Engineer with the State Water Board on October 11 at 10:00 p.m. to inform them of a water quality incident, specifically an overdose of the sodium hypochlorite treatment for disinfection,” wrote Robertson.
The water was contaminated due to an overdose of sodium hypochlorite, commonly known as liquid bleach. It is used in sanitizers and disinfectants for wastewater systems, swimming pools, and drinking water.
Erin Hunter, Director of Residential Education and Campus Housing (REACH), said housing staff responded quickly to ensure residents were supported during this time.
“The water issue briefly disrupted residents’ daily routines. Housing staff worked quickly to ensure everyone was informed and supported. All housing areas received timely and consistent communication, and our team prioritized clear, regular updates so residents stayed aware of developments and available resources,” said Hunter.
Rohnert Park Mayor Gerard Guidice noted that the city and SSU operate separate water systems. “We provide sewer, but like us, [Sonoma State] has their own wells on campus,” Guidice said.
“The water incident was campus-wide, being that our water source comes from a centralized system,” said Twedwell. “The water is within normal parameters and safe for regular use. The water control system is operating under normal conditions. We’re currently reviewing the incident to verify if there are any additional engineering controls that can be implemented to better protect our water system.”
The university has since stated that water on campus now tests well below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits and meets normal operating standards. The State Water Board confirmed that the staff at SSU took the appropriate steps to “bring the chlorine residual down to acceptable levels by flushing at each water connection and measuring the chlorine residual.”
SSU contacted the Sonoma District Engineer the day after the report to discuss the progress. They later confirmed the day after that the mitigation efforts “had been completed” and were at normal levels.
