Victoria Silva’s poster presentation on water quality in mobile home parks won a top award at the Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium in late March. Photos courtesy of Victoria Silva
A Colorado State University student has played a key role in securing new regulations to protect water quality in mobile home parks – after learning that elevated levels of lead were found in the water at the mobile home park where the student lives.
Victoria Silva is a junior at CSU who is majoring in biochemistry, with minors in anthropology, microbiology and chemistry. Silva moved into the Harmony Village Manufactured Home Community in Fort Collins about a year ago, at around the same time that the Coloradoan reported that the city had detected elevated levels of lead in the park’s drinking water.
Silva is pursuing a medical career that integrates scientific advances with a quality patient experience and equitability toward traditionally underserved communities that are systematically disadvantaged. They began advocating on behalf of fellow mobile home park residents, conducting both quantitative and qualitative research on the issue of elevated lead levels in water, interviewing park residents. Some told Silva that they hadn’t dared to consume their drinking water since the 1980s.
Boiling water
Silva also learned that while municipalities often send notices to residents to boil their water before drinking it when problems are detected, boiling water that has elevated levels of lead only increases the concentration of lead due to evaporation.
Another issue, Silva explained, is that some privately owned mobile home parks haven’t been subject to regulations around water quality.
“It’s been a little like the wild West,” they said.
Silva’s presentation on the subject won first place in the Service Learning and Leadership category of the Multicultural Undergraduate Research Art and Leadership Symposium (MURALS) this spring.
State legislation
Silva also became involved with the group 9 to 5 Colorado, which advocates on issues like gender pay equality and safe work environments for working women. Through that group, they learned about a bill at the Colorado Legislature this spring aimed at water quality in mobile home parks. With help from 9 to 5, Silva signed up to testify in favor of the legislation.
HB 1257, which was approved by the Legislature on May 7, creates a new water testing program for all mobile home parks. If tests reveal a water quality issue, the legislation requires the state’s Water Quality Control Division to notify several parties, including the park owner. The park owner is then required to notify the park’s residents and implement a remediation plan without charging the residents for the cost of becoming compliant with water quality standards.
State Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, one of the bill’s sponsors, said that before the legislation passed, no water testing was required for private park owners who bill their residents for water – testing was only required for well systems or individually metered water use.
“We suspect that there are a number of parks that are not being tested because they aren’t under the purview of the state public health department,” he explained.
Silva testified both in person and remotely on behalf of HB 1257.
Park residents
Boesenecker added that mobile home parks are the state’s largest unsubsidized type of affordable housing. He said they are often home to some of society’s most vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities, senior citizens, military veterans and undocumented immigrants, who may fear retribution from park owners if they aired concerns about water quality.
Silva testified on behalf of HB 1257 twice this spring, at meetings of the House and Senate committees to which the bill was assigned. Boesenecker said Silva played a crucial role in getting the legislation approved.
“Residents are the ones really driving these kinds of bills,” he said. “When residents like Victoria show up and testify, that really moves the needle. It really does make a difference. People standing up for doing the right thing is really a testament to our community.”
“Victoria added a great deal to our advocacy for water quality in mobile homes,” added Hannah Recht, senior community organizer for 9 to 5 Colorado. “Their ability to testify about their lived experience as a mobile home park resident and also speak to the science behind the water issues was a very powerful combination.”
Silva with Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, left, and Hannah Recht of 9 to 5 Colorado
‘Amazing leader’
“Victoria has been doing amazing work advocating for their community,” said Hope Radford, a master’s student in anthropology who was a teaching assistant in one of Silva’s courses. “Victoria definitely takes what they are learning outside of the classroom. Even amidst their busy schedule as a student, they have taken the time to interview their community members about the impacts of water contamination in their mobile home park, pursued water quality testing and other measures, and have testified repeatedly to get HB 1257 passed.”
Radford added that poor water quality in mobile home parks is a national problem.
“This is a clear environmental justice issue we see all over the country, and Victoria has been an amazing leader in fighting for justice for their community,” she said. “Victoria is certainly not afraid to say what needs to be said and do what needs to be done. I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone that will so clearly have a positive impact on the world.”
