Today, when public systems provide water to 90% of Americans, some of us turn on our sinks without thinking. We use tap water to make our morning oatmeal, to quench our thirst, to dilute the broth of soup, and about a billion other things. We are privileged enough to do so because we have enough faith in our government to make sure our water is suitable for consumption. However, many people across the United States have to worry about the condition of their water supply. Those in predominantly-Latino communities in central California are among this population.
Millions of Californians drink contaminated water. San Joaquin Valley in central California is especially affected by this pollution. Although mismanaged wastewater-treatment facilities contribute to the current state of the water, agricultural practice is the overwhelming cause of it. This portion of California is the most productive agricultural region in the world. On the farms in the valley, many of the workers are Latino. Also on these farms, nitrogen is added to the crops through chemical fertilizer and animal manure. And since the ground is a source for tap water, that means that people in proximal communities are supplied with water containing an unsafe amount of nitrate.
Nitrate, a compound of nitrogen and oxygen or ozone, is found naturally in the environment. It is actually “essential for plant and animal growth and nourishment.” The natural amount in surface and groundwater is usually not harmful. However, when more than 10 mg/L of nitrate is present, it raises health concerns. Based on data recorded from 2003-2017, 56% of all water systems in San Joaquin Valley tested at 10 mg/L or above, and 65% of water systems serving majority-Latino communities in the valley tested at 10 mg/L or above.
Consuming too much nitrate can be incredibly harmful as it can affect how blood carries oxygen. Effects include increased heart rate, nausea, headaches, and abdominal cramps. It may also increase the risk of cancer, but there is no scientific consensus on that claim. Overexposure to nitrate is especially detrimental to babies. Prenatal consumption is associated with neural tube defects (severe defects of the brain and spine). Babies under six months old that are bottle-fed are at risk of getting methemoglobinemia, a condition where not enough oxygen is delivered to the cells. This disorder can lead to seizures, heart arrhythmias, poor muscle coordination, and blue-colored skin.
Most of the majority-Latino communities of San Joaquin Valley are low-income. Because of this circumstance, private water treatment is not accessible. Farmworkers, who are part of this population, have little access to health care. This socially and economically marginalized group is disproportionately affected by this pollution.
Combating the contamination of tap water in San Joaquin Valley and the rest of California needs to be done on a government level. You can write to agencies and officials and urge them to take action. However, it will likely be decades before the necessary farm regulations and funds are put in place to restore polluted water systems and even longer to reduce the ethnic inequalities and other problems that exacerbate this issue.
