Drinking water in California is dangerous to drink and can cause serious health problems

Nearly 1 million Californians live with contaminated drinking water deemed unhealthy, and the state auditor is sounding the alarm in hopes of hastening urgent change. What will happen if you continue to drink such water, said the publication Yahoo!.

Photo: Shutterstock

Michael Tilden, Acting Auditor for the State of California, released an audit report this week addressed to the state's senior leadership, including Gov. Gavin Newsom. More than 370 faulty water systems across the state have been identified, providing drinking water to over 920 people. More than two-thirds of failed water systems are in disadvantaged communities.

The audit report also states that there is currently a risk of hundreds more water systems failing.

The California Board of Water Resources Control works to implement and enforce federal and local safe drinking water laws, which include enforcing maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for more than 100 substances harmful to human health.

If one of the water supplies exceeds any of the MCLs, it must notify consumers with an explanation of the contaminant and its potential health impacts, the steps being taken to address the breach, and where alternative water sources should be used.

An audit report found that 70 public water systems in California exceed the legal limits for arsenic, which can cause skin damage, circulatory problems, and even increase a person's risk of cancer. Another common pollutant was nitrate, which can come from fertilizers or wastewater. They are especially dangerous for babies under the age of six months.

On the subject: Drinking water in the USA is contaminated with toxic substances at a faster rate than previously thought

The California Water Resources Control Board regulates approximately 7400 drinking water systems throughout California and provides funds to help local water systems improve their quality. However, over the past five years, the average processing time for applications for water systems requiring funding has increased to more than two years, about 33 months.

The report said the water board failed to appreciate the cumbersome application process and "demonstrated a lack of urgency in providing needed assistance to failing water systems."

Another glaring problem is that the water board is seriously short of funding. Between 2021 and 2025, the shortfall in needed funds available in the form of loans and grants is estimated at $4,5 billion.

Those water systems deemed to be faulty and at risk will require $3,2 billion in grant funding, but only $1,2 billion will be available. This is on top of small public water systems and schools, which will need $1,2 to $4,8 billion to meet new infrastructure requirements due to drought in 2022.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

The lack of funds is getting worse. According to the audit report, the State Water Board has not set targets or performance indicators to measure any improvement in processing applications and assisting groups applying for funding.

This not only delays funding, but also makes projects more expensive over time, increasing the likelihood of adverse health effects for Californians served by faulty water systems.

The California Water Board can take steps to help the situation, starting with simply hiring more staff to better process funding applications and prevent backlogs.

When it comes to closing the funding gap, Tilden said the water board should immediately work with the California legislature and federal agencies to request more resources, such as repairing or improving water treatment technology, consolidating water systems and providing technical assistance to local communities. water supply systems.

Tilden, among other things, set a timeline and proposed that the California Water Board establish performance indicators for funding applications by January 2023, and by July 2023 he should evaluate his progress in reforming application procedures and staffing.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The White House will help Americans fight the heat and make their homes efficient: new programs

Management, programming, language learning: 50+ free online courses for every taste

How much you need to earn to be considered rich in major US cities

Inflation compensation: 18 states pay residents assistance to cushion the blow from rising prices

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.