Thursday, Sep 1 2011 2:39PM
The UN report states water santiation and affordability have become issues in California — particularly in the San Joaquin Valley.
According to a recent report from the United Nations (U.N.), the lack of clean, safe drinking water for many California residents has become a substantial issue on which the organization plans to focus.
Catarina de Albuquerque, Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation for the U.N., stated in the report the state's drinking water supply and sanitation conditions are cause for concern.
"Ensuring the rights to water and sanitation for all requires a paradigm shift towards new designs and approaches that promote human rights, that are affordable and that create more value in terms of public health improvements, community development, and global ecosystem protection," de Albuquerque said in the report.
One area of California where de Albuquerque stated there are growing water problems is the San Joaquin Valley, where she said challenges exist in terms of fixing sanitary issues with the region's water supply.
Maria Herrera, community outreach coordinator for the Community Water Center in Visalia, California, stated another issue related to the state's water supply is affordability. She said many low-income families struggle to pay for water, with some households forced to seek lower-priced supplies from neighboring communities.