Monday, Oct 3 2011 3:24PM
Harmful toxins have been found in drinking water in rural California communities.
Many rural communities in California are finding it difficult to secure funding to improve water quality, which geologists say is contaminated with toxic nitrates, according to the Fresno Bee.
The paper states smaller communities throughout the state in need of financial assistance to improve the quality of their water face an uphill battle because there is no one agency in California devoted to doing so.
A survey from the nonprofit organization The Pacific Institute found most residents of Tulare County, California, spend more than 10 percent of their household income on water - many of whom are low-income residents, the newspaper states.
One of the only ways to avoid issues with the water is to purchase bottled water, the news source states, but one advocate said many can't afford to buy enough water to supply their families.
"I can't imagine how people with low incomes will be able to afford a new cost," Josephine Jennings, volunteer director of the Alpaugh Joint Powers Authority, told the newspaper. She added many of these communities need help immediately.
For further reference, check out these sources:
Fresno Bee,
The Pacific Institute