Climate Change and Protecting the Human Right to Water

 

How does climate change affect drinking water supplies?

The release of greenhouse gas emissions into Earth’s atmosphere is the cause behind the growing climate emergency – which is in part fueling the drinking water crisis. 

Climate change is causing longer and more frequent droughts – leading to more dry wells. Right now, there are over 2,400 dry wells across the state and over half of those wells are located in the Central Valley.  At the same time, climate change causes short, super charged storms which can lead to flooding – potentially worsening drinking water contamination. 


The climate crisis is accelerating quicker than expected.

We are projected to reach 1.5 degrees celsius of warming by 2027 – which is earlier than what scientists initially anticipated. This increase in global temperature will intensify the droughts, floods, and extreme heat frontline communities on the Central Coast and in the Central Valley already disproportionately experience. 

We are on the path of leaving the range of temperatures ever experienced by human civilization. We need to act now. 

We need action now. Communities can’t wait. 

As climate change threatens our ability to survive, we must  prevent over-extraction and further degradation of our natural resources.  We turn to groundwater during drought, with many communities relying on it for their everyday drinking water needs. To protect drinking water while in a climate crisis, we need successful implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and adequate limits on groundwater contamination perpetuated by large scale agriculture. This is essential. Further decline of drinking water sources violates residents' human right to water and water rights.

Climate change will impact drinking water availability, and it is crucial to prepare for times of drinking water scarcity. Senate Bill 552 (SB 552) is a law that can support drinking water resilience for the most vulnerable communities. SB 552 requires drought planning at the local and statewide levels. Counties are tasked with  creating a county drought task force and a drought contingency plan to prepare for drought instead of addressing its impacts after wells go dry. Small water suppliers are required to meet Minimum Resiliency Requirements to monitor and prepare for future drought impacts. 

Finally, in order to slow the progression of the climate crisis, emphasis must be placed on the root cause of climate change. Fossil fuel emissions must be drastically reduced to prevent the fueling of the crisis as fossil fuels impact groundwater availability, groundwater quality, and destabilize the climate.

Articles

  1. This July 4 was hot. Earth’s hottest day on record, in fact.

  2. Droughts in Western states drive up emissions and threaten human health

  3. World likely to breach 1.5C climate threshold by 2027, scientists warn | Climate crisis | The Guardian 

 

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