by Gary Pitzer


C


alifornia boasts some of the finest quality drinking water on the planet. Every day, people turn on their tap and receive clean, safe water


with nary a thought. But the water people take for granted isn’t so reliable for residents of small water systems and many disadvantaged communities (DACs) in rural agricultural areas. There, groundwater tainted with high levels of nitrate and other con- taminants make getting safe drinking water a struggle for DACs. Making matters worse, some people pay twice for their water – once for a residential connection and again for the water


An East Orosi resident shows a glass of water believed to be contaminated by high levels of nitrates, while standing outside her home on Sept. 10, 2007.


4 Western Water


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