The Challenge
Each year, over one million Californians are exposed to unsafe drinking water from the taps in their homes, schools, churches, parks, and community centers.
The problem is both urgent and chronic. Approximately 300 small public water systems have been unable to supply safe drinking water to their communities for several years or even decades.
“The majority of people in our town have died of cancer. It just doesn’t make sense. I have people here who have little kids. I want them to be able to go, get up, and be able to drink water.”
Water systems serving predominantly Latino and low-income communities have disproportionately high occurrences of arsenic and nitrate contamination.
Some families pay up to 10% of their monthly income just on water.
“My mother was one of those affected [by contaminants]. She got sick. The water well that we had was very contaminated with nitrates. We’re fighting for water quality, starting in my town, but it’s not just my town that has problems with nitrates.”
Unsafe tap water can be found in nearly every county of the state, but areas like the San Joaquin Valley and Salinas Valley are disproportionately impacted.
As many as 1,688 California public schools were impacted by unsafe drinking water between 2003 and 2014.
“To get home, turn on the tap, and not find any water is very difficult and stressful. Emptying buckets of water into the tanks to have water for the next day, your children telling you that the water for bathing is not enough, that there’s no water to flush the toilets, is very stressful.”
But there is hope.
Click here to learn more about how these community leaders and CWC partnered to secure safe drinking water, and how to support others do the same.
Drinking Water Contamination Explained
Produced and Directed by Kristine Diekman, Video in the Community