Wednesday, Nov 14 2012 4:11PM
Many communities in the Central Valley rely on bottled water as their main water source due to contaminants in the water system.
Numerous rural communities in the Central Valley region of California continue to have poor water conditions. With low incomes for residents and little revenue from local governments to update the area's
water system services, the water is practically unusable, the New York Times reports.
According to the paper, schools and households in the region set aside funds for bottled water, as the local tap is undrinkable due to various contaminants. However, because the average income for communities is low, spending on bottled water is becoming a burden for many residents.
California Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed legislation making access to clean water and financing projects related to this access a priority for the state. Money to allocate to system upgrades and construction, though, is limited.
"Clean water ought to be a right," California State Association of Counties program manager Bill Chiat, who works with the government on water-related issues, told the Times. "The question is, how are you going to pay for it?"
As a temporary fix for local water woes, the state government has allocated $4 million for filters that can be used under sinks. These filters eliminate nitrates and arsenic from the system. However, long-term solutions are still needed for communities in the Central Valley.
For further information, check out this source:
The New York Times