April eNews: New Water Treatment Systems Installed, Drinking Water Week, and more!
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It’s National Drinking Water Week! Each May, all of us around the country use this week to recognize the vital role drinking water plays in our lives. For CWC, we know how critical safe and affordable drinking water is, and what a struggle day-to-day life is for those without it.
Will you join us in spreading awareness of California’s drinking water crisis and the community-driven work happening each day to solve it? Maybe you’ll find ways to save water at home by taking shorter showers or only running the washer when you have a full load. You could also use CWC’s Drinking Water Tool to find out more about the water coming from your taps and share with your neighbors.
Share how you’ll be acknowledging the valuable role of water this week on social media using the hashtag #DrinkingWaterWeek and tag us:
Facebook: @Community Water Center
Twitter: @CWaterC
Instagram: @communitywatercenter
Keep an eye on our channels all week as we share exactly what it takes to achieve the Human Right to Water in California — safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water for all.
Adelante,
Susana De Anda
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Safe Water for Families Impacted by 1,2,3-TCP
Last month three treatment systems were installed as part of a CWC pilot project in the Central Coast for the cancer-causing contaminant 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP). We now have a total of six systems installed serving 20 people that are effectively treating water to below the legal limit!
Across the state, more than 575,000 people are impacted by 1,2,3-TCP. We are documenting technical and financial information related to the project to share with decision-makers and other communities who may need this information for solutions for TCP of their own.
Local Residents Ask for More Protection from Hexavalent Chromium
Recently, community members from Pajaro Valley shared the ongoing fear of health risks they face because of hexavalent chromium (chrome 6) contamination in their drinking water. Exposure to high levels of chrome 6 over time can increase the risk of cancer, reproductive issues, and liver and kidney damage. You may have seen the movie Erin Brockovich highlighting this same issue in the town of Hinkley, CA, where residents were drinking water for years with unsafe levels of chrome 6 causing serious health issues including cancer.
Pajaro Valley residents shared what living with chrome-6 was like to representatives of the State Water Board because they are responsible for setting the legal limit allowed in drinking water.
The current proposed legal limit for chrome 6 is 500 times higher than the public health goal and would carry a cancer risk of 1 in 2,000.
Krishna Feldman — a teacher from Pajaro Valley — explained that both her home and the school where she works have unsafe levels of chrome 6 in the water. To protect herself at home, she had to purchase and install a treatment system at her own expense. Children and staff are still being served unsafe water at the local elementary school where she works.
Krishna and her husband George, also a local teacher, shared that they are learning of a new child being diagnosed with cancer each year. They urged the state to do everything it can to limit the toxicity of their only source of water by setting a low, health-protective legal limit for chrome 6.
Ohlone Elementary teacher, CWC staff, and moms of students at Ohlone attend school board meeting to advocate for safe water.
Eufemia Hernandez, a mother whose daughter attends school in this same district, shared:
“Personally, this is very concerning to me as a mother and a member of the community because this affects our public health. Many wells have been sampled and this contaminant has been found and the levels have been going up. Which in the long-term could result in health impacts to everyone that is exposed to it…It is our right and it is your responsibility to create and enforce a health-protective limit.”
We will continue to fight beside these leaders and those around the state who are asking for something that should be simple — a safe legal limit for a cancer-causing contaminant found in their water.
In Case You Missed It
"Sin comer puede uno sobrevivir, sin agua no": residentes de Visalia padecen efectos de la sequía
West Goshen Water for Life leader Jesus Benitez shares his family’s struggle with water pressure due to a deeper agriculture well drilled across the street.
Gov. Newsom’s drought order aims to slow ag well drilling
“We’re not seeing a slowdown in well drilling. This is sending the signal that we’re not going to let folks continue to just shift to groundwater use in a way that’s really going to prevent SGMA from being implemented.”
— Kyle Jones, Policy & Legal Director
‘The truth is California does not have enough water’
“We know that droughts are only going to worsen with the decades to come,” said Saldivar, “and we need to proactively pass policies like AB 2201 before it’s too late.”
— Uriel Salvidar, Senior Policy Advocate
Excellent coverage of California’s drinking water crisis.
Toxic shower water. Sewage pits. ‘Infuriating’ woes in east Coachella Valley mobile parks
"We have over 1 million Californians that don't have access to safe water in the state, and they're located in virtually every county of the state.”
— Kelsey Hinton, Communications Manager
Rising Voices: Envisioning Central Valley 2040
Summary of the March 31 media briefing on the future of water in the Central Valley, including CWC’s own Uriel Salvidar who was a panelist.
Former State Senator Roger Dickinson, the co-author of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, and Ruth Martinez, Ducor water board member and long-time community leader, share the importance of passing AB 2201 in this op-ed.
Welcome, Andrea and Roxanne!
CWC welcomed two new staff in April: Andrea Rivera and Roxanne Reimer!
Andrea joins the Visalia office as a Communications and Data Associate. She brings bilingual digital communications experience from her past position managing social media and website content for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).
Roxanne joins the Watsonville office as a Community Solutions Manager after years of experience directly managing water systems. She has a background in engineering and is a state-certified water system operator, with time spent in Ecuador working with remote communities to build and sustain drinking water supplies.
Join us in welcoming Andrea and Roxanne! Learn more about the CWC team here.
CWC is Hiring
Do you have a passion for environmental and social justice? Are you looking for an opportunity to work alongside those on the frontlines of the safe and affordable drinking water movement in California?
Community Water Center is hiring for multiple positions across all three of our offices:
Administrative Assistant — Visalia Office
Support day–to–day activities to ensure sustainable, efficient and effective operations of the organization and its three offices.Community Solutions Advocate — Watsonville Office
Partner with Central Coast communities to help secure access to safe and affordable drinking water.Federal Policy Advocate — Remote from the Washington DC area
Lead CWC’s federal policy and advocacy work and support California community members to engage in federal policymaking.Fund Development Coordinator — Visalia, Sacramento or Watsonville Office
Help build relationships and raise funds to keep our water justice movement going strong.
Is Your Water Safe to Drink?
If you’re experiencing drinking water issues and live in the San Joaquin Valley or Central Coast regions, check out our Safe Water Resources page. Information can be found on private well testing, bottled water programs, and more.
As California continues into the third year of this historic drought, we also have a page dedicated to drought relief resources.
Thank you to our Generous Donors!
Huge thank you to our sustaining monthly donors! Your ongoing commitment to water justice ensures everyone will have access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water.
Arden Wells, Bessma Mourad, Bob Simone, Carly Yoshida, Claire Wilkens, Denise Heitzenroder, Frank Lukacs, Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida, Kathryn Gilje, Kathryn Wuelfing, Klara East, Kristin Dobbin, Lara Cushing, Max Meyer, Paul Pierce, Sandra Hocker, Sandra Rose, Stephen Gasteyer, Vicki Woods, Victoria Klug, Yara Pasner
Be a water champion and support safe water for all.
