Wednesday July 27, 2022
Courthouse News Service —
Nearly a million people living in California use water from a “failing water system,” according to a state audit published Tuesday, exposing them to a range of negative long-term health outcomes including an increased risk of cancer and liver and kidney problems.
The California State Water Resources Control Board classifies 418 local water systems as “failing,” meaning their water supply exceeds the maximum allowable contaminant levels for safe drinking water. More than 920,000 people rely on drinking water from those systems. Nearly 240 systems have been failing for three years or more.
An additional 432 water systems, serving more than 1 million people, are “at risk of failing.”
“I don’t think it’s that big of a surprise,” said Bruce Resnik, executive director of Los Angeles Waterkeeper. “There are way too many water agencies in California, and not enough funding, not enough oversight.”