California Prison Plagued by Toxic Water and Chronic Illness

For decades, prisoners at Mule Creek State Prison outside of Sacramento, California have raised the alarm about the drinking water. Based on interviews with over 100 prisoners, ex-prisoners, family members, and prison staff, reporting from The Appeal and Type Investigations found that there have been serious issues with Mule Creek’s tap water for at least 20 years. According to these sources, the water tastes “like chemicals or metal,” smells “foul” and “fishlike,” and appears “dirty brown” or “foggy.” Many prisoners have reported illnesses while locked up at Mule Creek, including forms of cancer and kidney and liver problems that are linked to exposure to environmental pollutants. Contractors have gotten sick while on the job. And guards typically bring bottled water to work. 

The source of Mule Creek’s contaminated water dates back to its construction in 1985, when 1,700 housing units were built alongside on-site facilities for coffee roasting, meat packing, welding, and dry cleaning, among others. These industries produce toxic chemicals, and prisoners say the runoff was dumped down the drain for years without being treated. And as Mule Creek grew, the problem only got worse. A series of reports and environmental lawsuits led to a 2023 consent decree in …