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A Pandemic and Surging Summer Heat Leave Thousands Struggling to Pay Utility Bills

/in , /by /Inside Climate Newsby Maddie Kornfeld

When the coronavirus pandemic forced classrooms to close this spring, Leticia Garcia’s family in Fairfax County, Virginia, quickly ran short of money. Garcia cleans schools for a living and, with her hours sharply reduced, found herself at home with her two daughters.

She cut their cell phone service to keep the water, gas and electricity on. Now, only Garcia and her son, who helps pay the utility bills, have working phones.

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Opinion: Affordability Must Be a Priority as California Charts a Course for Economic Recovery

/in , /by /CalMattersby Danielle Blacet-Hyden and Patrick Welch

There’s no doubt California has been hard hit by the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The state’s unemployment rate is north of 15% and millions of households are struggling to pay their bills, whether it be the monthly rent or mortgage, a car payment or their utility bills.

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Niland: In Search of a Miracle

/in , , /by /The Desert Review (Imperial Valley)by Betty Miller

It has been a week since a devastating fire ripped through Niland, demoralizing a poor community already suffering from a pandemic quarantine. Douglas Kline, principal of Grace Elementary, Niland’s only school, spoke about the onslaught.

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Calif. Farm Bureau President Says Farmworker Safety is Priority

/in , , /by /ABC 7 News

As California’s agricultural industry faces an estimated $6-8 billion loss this year due to the pandemic, farmers and ranchers say they’re working hard to keep the food supply steady and safe.

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Pandemic, Water Costs, Consumer Behavior Lead to $2 Billion in Ag Losses Thus Far

/in , , /by /GV Wire (Fresno)by Jim Jakobs

The pandemic’s direct negative economic impact on California ag is predicted to be between $5.9 and $8.6 billion in 2020. The estimated year-to-date losses are more than $2 billion.

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Senate Democrats Ask Whether PFAS Worsens Coronavirus Cases

/in , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Sylvia Carignan

Senate Democrats want to know whether being exposed to PFAS chemicals, which have become ubiquitous in the environment, worsens the effect of the coronavirus on the human body.

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Risk of Covid-19 in Recreational Water is Low

/in , , /by /Circle of Blue

The risk of contracting Covid-19 from both wastewater and recreational water is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies conducted in multiple countries in recent months have detected the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in treated and untreated wastewater, but to this date there has been no evidence of a person contracting the virus through wastewater or swimming areas.

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U.S. Rural Water Utilities Ask Congress for Financial Help

/in , /by /Circle of Blue

The National Rural Water Association, which represents water systems that serve fewer than 10,000 customers, is calling on Congress to extend financial aid to small utilities that are being affected by revenue losses due to the pandemic.

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Over 700 Cash-Strapped Cities Halt Plans to Repair Roads, Water Systems or Make Other Key Investments

/in , /by /The Washington Postby Tony Romm

More than 700 U.S. cities have halted plans to improve roadways, buy new equipment and complete a wide array of upgrades to water systems and other critical infrastructure, as government officials slash spending to shore up the massive holes in their budgets created by the coronavirus.

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Experts: Keep Flushing During the Pandemic

/in , , /by /WaterWorldby Harold Mosley

In these uncertain times, protecting the integrity of water lines, and moving water in them to prevent stagnation, is critical, particularly in schools and manufacturing plants that are experiencing reduced and interrupted water usage during the pandemic.

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