Like a lot of people (more than "officially" estimated it seems) our drinking water comes from a tank which does not have a cover. Yes, it's not "legal". This explains the leaf debri and other things that clogs the screens on the faucets and washer frequently. Also explains the blood worms, crustacea and all kinds of other creatures seen with an unaided eye.

I need to find some where to have the water examined for microscopic organisms - protozoa, rotifers, celia, ameobas, etc. and other creatures that might be living in our water. I'd also like to see about giardia, cryptosporidium, coccidia, leptospirosis and other bacteria/parasites, psuedomonas and viruses. These are all endemic to West County and found in puddles-ponds. Sonoma County tests ONLY for fecal coliform, avian coliform and total coliform and nothing else. Because it's not 'code' to have household water supplied from an uncovered tank here, it seems the idea is no one should have this problem. But I'm learning many do, including us.

I'd also like to borrow a decent microscope - a standard 3 lens 'highschool' model is adequate. If it has threads in the eyepiece for photography even better. If you have slides I'll be glad to pay for some. I live in West Sebastopol near Jonive/Barnett Valley.

We rent and we're having to walk on a few egg shells to get this problem recognized and remedied by the landlord (who insists there's nothing in the water). So negotiating with him and identifying the problems and what the cheapest safe solution is about all we can do, aside from find another home which we'd prefer not... well unless it was out here and there is wildlife and woods and such, good set up and such. We don't want to go down that road though if we don't have to.

Please email me if you have some good info about water quality or have a microscope to lend for approx. 3-4 weeks (if the eyepiece is threaded I'll need a week to order the adapter for my camera). I'd probably like to borrow it again after the first good rain as the water gets silted up with each good rain.
Thanks very much
Dorothy