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New National Climate Change Guide Focuses on Impact in San Joaquin Valley Communities

/in , , /by /Valley Public Radio - Central Valleyby Soreath Hok

A new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists outlines wide-reaching environmental impacts affecting the health and economy of San Joaquin Valley communities from extreme heat to water scarcity and pollution.

The report acts as a guide to help community members and advocates address climate change issues and prepare for challenges. Advocates at the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability contributed to the report.

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California Water PFAS Lawsuit – An Increasing Trend?

/in , , /by /The National Law Review

On October 27, 2020, a California water PFAS lawsuit was filed by the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency against several companies, in which it is alleged that the companies are responsible for PFAS water contamination in southern California.

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Opinion: Non-Revenue Water – An Opportunity for Water Utilities, Now More than Ever

/in , , /by /Water Finance & Managementby Travis Smith

It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the water industry. Revenue shortfalls from a decline in commercial and industrial water use and some residential customers struggling to pay bills are affecting utilities across the country. The service must go on, but in some cases the revenue lags. Conservative estimates from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies suggest the industry as a whole is expected to lose at least $12.5 billion due to the coronavirus when all is said and done.

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Wealthy US Cities Struggle to Provide Running Water for All Residents

/in , , /by /New Scientistby Ian Morse

Widening wealth gaps in some of the richest cities in the US have produced a rise in the number of households without running water.

Public information suggests that about half a million households in the US – about 1.1 million people – live without piped water, which places them in “plumbing poverty”. Surveys also show that 73 per cent of these households are found in metropolitan areas.

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People of Color More Likely to Live Without Piped Water in Richest US Cities

/in , /by /The Guardianby Nina Lakhani

People of color in some of America’s wealthiest cities are significantly more likely to live in houses without indoor plumbing essential for running water, new research reveals.

Clean, safe, affordable water is essential for human health and economic survival. Yet access to running water is not universal in the United States, ostensibly the richest country in the world.

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County to Conduct Groundwater Survey Flights

/in , , /by /Santa Barbara News-Pressby Gerry Fall

Residents of the Santa Ynez and Lompoc Valleys may see an unusual sight in the skies this November, and it won’t be a UFO.

It will be a low-flying helicopter carrying a large hexagonal frame. This unique equipment is part of a project to map aquifers and improve the understanding of groundwater in the area. The project is being conducted by Santa Barbara County and the Santa Ynez River Water Conservation District in cooperation with the local water agencies that comprise the three Groundwater Sustainability Agencies in the Santa Ynez River Valley Groundwater Basin.

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La Niña: Moderate to Strong Climate Event Predicted this Year, Meaning Possibly Drier Conditions in SoCal

/in , , /by /ABC7

Global climate experts are predicting a moderate to strong La Niña weather event this year, meaning a stormy season for most parts of the world but possibly drier-than-normal conditions in Southern California. A La Niña usually means a more active Atlantic hurricane season with potentially stronger storms.

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Opinion: Delta Tunnel Project Would Secure California’s Water Future

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Jennifer Pierre

The Delta Conveyance Project is a necessary investment to secure California’s water future. Let’s face it, our climate is changing rapidly and becoming more unpredictable – wildfires are larger and more frequent, the seas are rising, droughts are lasting longer and storms are fiercer. The need for this project has never been clearer.

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In Parched California, Search Goes Deeper for Water

/in , , /by /The Bakersfield Californianby Maureen Buscher-Dang

A carpet of green, new grass covered the rolling hills, southwest of Maricopa, near New Cuyama. In the distance, the coastal mountain range was capped by white, full clouds and blue sky.

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Army Corps Banks on Wetland Data EPA Deemed ‘Unreliable’

/in , /by /E&E Newsby Ariel Wittenberg and Hannah Northey

When the Trump administration finalized a key Clean Water Act rule last year, it slammed media outlets for citing federal data showing it would erase protections for more than half the nation’s wetlands and 18% of streams.

The National Wetlands Inventory, EPA wrote in a press release at the time, was so unreliable that it “doesn’t map wetlands that are there and maps wetlands that are no longer there.”

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