Officials estimate bringing safe tap water to hundreds of small communities in California will cost over $11.5 billion in the next five years. Currently, over 900,000 Californians rely on non-compliant water systems.
"What our analysis has shown time and again is that the common denominator is size," said Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the state water board. Small systems in disadvantaged communities struggle due to discrimination, disinvestment, and growing challenges.
California faces challenges in providing clean water despite declaring access a human right in 2012. Small rural communities deal with harmful contaminants like arsenic, bacteria, nitrate, and fertilizers in their well water.
#contaminated-drinking-water #california #safe-water-programs #funding-challenges #water-quality-standards
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