You turn on your tap and it comes out...brown?

As water becomes more scarce, reliable water delivery systems become crucial. Many systems are old and rusty, falling apart and leaky. Not only does precious drinkable water drain away drop by drop, but the leaks allow dangerous bacteria to mix with the treated water.

Delia Martinez, How do we know?

Delia Martinez lives with her mother and family in a modest house in Seville, CA, a small, low-income community of about 77 homes. With a public water system that is approximately 100 years old, she and her neighbors lived with water barely flowing from their faucets and what did flow was contaminated. The private system was taken over by the county and a new well dug in 2014 that provides greater water pressure - but this is only temporary. The system of pipes is still old, rusty and crumbling. The repairs are not comprehensive, the water is intermittent and currently unsafe to drink without boiling. It is especially hard on Delia to properly care for her ailing mother without water. She even says warning them ahead of time when the water is going to be turned off would be helpful.

The median income in Seville is about $14,000 a year. Yet residents are being charged flat monthly fees as much as $60 for their water, regardless if it is running or clean. Many poor residents are months if not years behind paying their water bills, putting their homes in danger of seizure. Currently the communities in the area are trying to consolidate to drill a new well to provide safe drinking water. The cost of a new well is 1.5 million dollars, but overhauling the entire system will be several million. 

Ryan Jensen, from the Visalia Community Water Center, explains that the problems with Seville's water system are: 

    1. Poor, disadvantaged communities do not have ongoing, sustainable funding to bring safe drinking water to the families. 

    2. Because of their social and economic status, these communities are often overlooked in the state budgeting process. 

With the help of the Community Water Center, the town of Seville is trying to consolidate with six other communities to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the region.