"Toxic Taps"

"The fight for water, health and equity in California’s Central Valley and beyond"

"California’s five-year drought made worldwide headlines as wells went dry and thousands of people were left without water. But many of those whose taps still flow face an even more insidious threat. The state estimates that 1.5 million Californians rely on drinking water that has violated health standards. And there are 200,000 people whose water is chronically contaminated with chemicals linked to cancer and other health effects. Those numbers don’t take into account the 2 million privately owned wells that are not regulated or routinely tested for toxins. Unsafe water systems can be found all over the state, but the largest concentration is in the San Joaquin Valley, where many serve low-income communities of color."

Tara Lohan, Sasha Abramsky, Mark Grossi, and Robin Meadows report for Water Deeply In a multipart series July 5, 2017.