July eNews: 10 Years of the Human Right to Water
Community partners with CWC staff outside the California State Capitol during a lobby day for passing the Human Right to Water (AB 685).
This landmark policy, the first of its kind in the nation, proved to be a powerful values statement for the golden state. Over the next ten years, it triggered numerous regulatory improvements, data collection efforts, funding programs and heightened awareness of a problem that was once invisible. Our team and partners have been reflecting on the past decade of work since the Human Right to Water became law, and the work still to be done. Over the next year, we will be hosting events, developing publications, and honoring the hard work of community partners to mark this moment in time.
Thank you for supporting the Human Right to Water in California. Our work is far from over, but as our dearly departed AGUA member Jesus Quevedo always said, “We will never give up until we have safe drinking water." We plan to keep working until we can honor that promise.
Adelante,
Susana De Anda
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Taps run dry in desert heat
We knew this was coming. In the midst of record heat, during the driest period in the past 1,200 years, taps in multiple communities ran dry. Three of these towns are served by public utilities in Tulare County.
Tooleville (pop. 184) has struggled to reach the sinking groundwater levels for years. They rely on a 10,000 gallon emergency tank and hauled water to keep their homes connected to this vital resource.
Seville’s (pop. 449) water pressure dropped so low that some households could only access running water in their yards — it never made it to their taps. One of their wells is on the brink of failure due to its shallow depth.
The pump for East Orosi (pop. 624) stopped working due to a power failure at the community’s only working well. Residents were left without water on a 103 degree day, meaning no water to bathe, cook, or run their swamp coolers. During this time, a house caught on fire and there was no water to put it out. Firefighters brought tanked water, but by then the damage was done.
Water was restored for all three communities, but each one is relying on a temporary fix. The threat of losing water is constant and likely to happen again.
These three communities aren’t the only ones struggling to access safe water. More than 650 private household wells have gone dry this year with no sign of slowing down in the coming months as the drought persists. Families shouldn’t have to worry about running out of water each time they turn their faucets.
This doesn’t have to be our reality. Permanent solutions like connecting to nearby water systems whose wells are deeper and reliable, or deepening existing wells must be prioritized by local and state agencies.
We will continue to advocate alongside our community leaders until no California taps run dry.
In Case You Missed It
East Orosi was without running water overnight. Hear from residents:
Telemundo partnered with CWC to show CA’s Drinking Water Crisis through a series of short videos
La sequía afecta de forma diferente a comunidades de bajos recursos
“A veces no tenemos agua”: residentes del Valle Central de California dependen de pozos comunitarios
Residentes del Valle Central de California preocupados por agua contaminada
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.
Political Power Building Advocate — Visalia, Sacramento or Watsonville Offices
Educate local, regional, and state decision-makers about drinking water issues including safety, affordability, and accessibility in the San Joaquin ValleySenior Policy Advocate — Sacramento Office
Lead CWC’s policy advocacy work to address root causes of unsafe drinking water by advancing community-driven legislative, regulatory, and policy changes at the local, regional and state levels.
236 Reported Dry Wells Since July 1 and a Total of 762 Since The Year Started
Is Your Water Safe or Well Running Dry?
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
And thank you to our generous donors for the month of July !
Simon Campo, Robert Kimberling, and Mari Rose Taruc
Be a water champion and support safe water for all.
