As a California resident, I've heard the drought message. I've also heard that we need to reduce water consumption to "make it through" the drought. I absolutely believe we should cut water consumption - water waste is bad for everyone. However, the drought and water consumption are only part of the story.
The part that receives far less coverage is the pollution that is causing longer periods between rainfalls and higher intensity rain falls.
The emission of smoke and gases has been known to affect rainfall since the 1920s. Airborne pollution particles can seed raindrop formation — but it can also change how rain clouds develop, potentially delaying rainfall to create fiercer summer storms as has been seen in the United States. - Katrina Charles
Longer periods between rains means the land is harder when the rain finally comes. The hardness means there's less absorption and more runoff. The risk of flooding and landslides increases, but that's not all that increases. The amount of chemicals entering our water ways increases.
Why? The runoff contains soil that contained fertilizers, so when the soil goes into the waterways so does the fertilizer.
Excess fertilizer can runoff into streams and lakes causing toxic algal blooms that are harmful to aquatic life and even people and their pets - Clear Choices
People are being negatively impacted by agricultural runoff.
An estimated 370,000 Californians rely on drinking water that may contain high levels of arsenic, nitrate or hexavalent chromium, and contaminated drinking water disproportionately impact communities of color in the state, finds a new analysis led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles. - Science Daily
That is a low estimate of how many people in California have "bad water".
Our audit of the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) focused on the board’s efforts to help provide Californians with safe drinking water. Nearly a million Californians face possible long-term, negative health outcomes—including an increased risk of liver and kidney problems, as well as cancer—because they receive unsafe drinking water from a failing water system. - Michael S. Tilden
Settle for less water misinformation, so you can learn the entire truth about California's water crisis. The time for action is now. We need to reduce pollution and invest in water infrastructure. Is reducing the number of private jet flights and taxing those that do happen part of the solution? Change has to start somewhere, let's get creative and implement solutions because without water there is no life.
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