Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks: A National Wake-Up Call
For millions of Americans, living in mobile home parks is a path toward affordable housing and, for some, homeownership. But for many of the nearly 17 million people who call these communities home, the dream is soured by a persistent, invisible threat: unsafe tap water. Across the country, residents in mobile home parks are grappling with water that is discolored, contaminated, or simply unreliable. Now, advocates, lawmakers, and some states are stepping up to ensure residents Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks.
Unsafe Waters and Forgotten Communities
Colt Smith, an official with Utah’s Division of Drinking Water, recalled the worst water he has seen in 14 years: it came from a mobile home park where residents had unknowingly been drinking contaminated water for years. That mobile home park, like so many others, was off the regulatory radar.
Unlike cities and large towns with well-funded utilities, mobile home parks are often served by small, under-resourced water systems. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, nearly 70% of mobile home parks running their own water systems have violated safe drinking water rules over the past five years. These violations include failing to test for contaminants, not reporting results, and delivering unsafe water.
Despite being a public health issue, the federal oversight of these systems is patchy at best. However, some states like Utah are setting new standards, giving thousands of residents a reason to Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks.
The Halfway Homeowners Dilemma
Residents in mobile home parks face a unique challenge: they often own their homes but rent the land. Moving a mobile home is so expensive and difficult that many residents are stuck, even when conditions deteriorate. Esther Sullivan, a sociology professor at the University of Colorado, describes them as “halfway homeowners” who endure unsafe conditions because all their resources are tied up in a home they can’t move.
Pamela Maxey from Kalamazoo, Michigan, lived for eight years in a park where tap water sometimes resembled tea or coffee, and raw sewage backed into homes. During a visit to the state Capitol for advocacy, she stayed in a hotel where she brushed her teeth with tap water for the first time in over a year. The contrast was startling.
For many like Pamela, reforms mean they can finally Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks and start living without fear of illness from a glass of water.
State-Led Solutions and Accountability
Utah leads the charge in reclassifying and regulating water systems within mobile home parks. What started as a search through databases soon revealed dozens of unregulated parks. Officials uncovered serious violations, including arsenic-contaminated water served for years without detection.
Colorado has passed laws to mandate water testing at all mobile home parks and holds park owners accountable for maintenance and transparency. These measures are helping residents Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks, showing that state leadership can spark nationwide change.
In 2023, Colorado discovered 79 mobile home parks with unknown water sources. That’s about 10% of all parks in the state—parks that had previously gone unnoticed. Now, state law requires proactive water testing, bringing long-overdue transparency.
Aging Infrastructure and Water Insecurity
Many mobile home parks are decades old. Their underground water infrastructure—often poorly installed and maintained—is a major source of contamination. Jake Freeman, engineering director at Central States Water Resources, compares these water lines to “spaghetti laying in the ground,” a chaotic mess that causes chronic pressure issues and contamination.
When pipes leak or break, water pressure drops, allowing harmful bacteria and other contaminants to enter the system. Additionally, stagnant water in dead-end pipes increases the risk of disease.
These infrastructural problems highlight why thousands of residents now demand to Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks through investment and oversight.
Regulatory Blind Spots
The federal government’s Safe Drinking Water Act was passed over 50 years ago, but many mobile home parks still fall through the cracks. EPA databases don’t even list all mobile home parks with water systems, meaning many communities operate without any public oversight.
Amy Miller, a former EPA official, recounted a 2021 incident when officials investigating arsenic in California stumbled upon multiple unregulated parks by simply driving around. These parks had escaped federal radar for years, underscoring the widespread gaps in monitoring.
Even when parks are listed, their compliance data may be outdated or missing. That’s why state-led reforms are the most promising path forward for helping families Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks.
Empowering Communities and Setting a National Standard
The movement to address water issues in mobile home parks is growing. Colorado now empowers residents and public health officials to address issues beyond federal standards, such as foul taste, color, or smell—factors that drive people to stop drinking their tap water even when it’s technically safe.
Residents like Victoria Silva, a premed student in Fort Collins, were instrumental in passing these laws. Silva endured dozens of outages over three years and lobbied for stronger rules. Her work ensures others can Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks through consistent regulation and enforcement.
In North Carolina, where nearly 40% of small water systems are in mobile home communities, public officials now educate new park owners about their responsibilities. Many don’t realize they’re also becoming utility operators, with legal obligations under clean water laws.
Hope Through Enforcement and Innovation
Innovative partnerships with private utilities like Central States Water Resources are helping stabilize failing systems. By acquiring and upgrading struggling small water systems, they bring technical expertise and financial stability to communities that were previously neglected.
After a devastating Texas storm in 2021, Central States found pipes in some parks that weren’t even buried—one of many signs of neglect. Fixing these issues isn’t just about infrastructure; it’s about restoring dignity and health to communities.
A Path Forward
To ensure that all Americans Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks, federal and state governments must work together. Stronger classification, proactive monitoring, transparent reporting, and funding for infrastructure upgrades are all essential.
Public awareness and advocacy remain key. Residents must know their rights and have accessible pathways to report issues. Community education, public health outreach, and legal support will help sustain the momentum built by trailblazing states like Utah and Colorado.
As Colt Smith puts it, Utah’s unique water culture—a combination of scarcity and community spirit—has made it a leader in reform. He hopes the idea that “everyone deserves clean water” transcends politics and geography.
Gain Hope for Clean Water in Mobile Parks is more than a campaign slogan—it’s a nationwide call to action. And finally, for many families, it’s becoming a reality.