California's rural areas continue to face unsafe drinking water despite statewide efforts to improve water quality, leaving many reliant on bottled water.
Rachel Becker reports for CalMatters.
In short:
- More than 735,000 Californians still receive unsafe water, particularly in Latino farm communities suffering from arsenic, nitrate, and 1,2,3-TCP contamination.
- Despite progress, more than 600 water systems are at risk of failure, and state funds fall short of the estimated $16 billion needed for full repairs.
- Rural residents like those in Pixley and Allensworth must rely on costly bottled water and wait years for systemic solutions.
Key quote:
“It is morally outrageous that we can’t provide the level of basic human rights that people need and that it’s primarily low-income communities of color who are facing these disparate impacts.”
— Kyle Jones, policy and legal director, Community Water Center
Why this matters:
Contaminated water threatens the health of vulnerable rural populations, disproportionately affecting low-income communities of color. Long-term exposure to pollutants increases the risk of cancer, developmental issues, and other health problems.
Read more: Southwest US communities and Hispanics most likely to have arsenic-laden water
