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Monday, April 29, 2024

Families running out of water due to drought

Credit: 23ABC News | Bakersfield
Duration: 03:08s 0 shares 1 views

Families running out of water due to drought
Families running out of water due to drought

The relentless heat coupled with the ongoing drought is leaving some in California without running water.

Wells are now high and dry leaving people unable to do basic things.

Stephanie Elam talked to some people feeling the impact.

THERE'S SEVEN OF US LIVING INTHE HOUSE AND WE'VE HAD NO WATERFOR A MONTHNOW."FOR THE BOYLAN FAMILY, THEDROUGHT IS HITTING HOME."...YOU STILL WALK OVER TO BRUSHYOURTEETH AND TURN ON THE FAUCET ANDTHEN YOU REALIZE, OH YEAH,THERE'S NOWATER."THE LACK OF RUNNING WATER MAKESTHE SIMPLEST OFROUTINES ... CHALLENGING.ESPECIALLY AS TEMPERATURES RISEABOVE 100 DEGREES.OUR NEIGHBOR WHO HAS A HOUSEACROSSTHE STREET WITH NO ONE LIVING INIT SAID WE CAN USE HIS HOSE OUTFRONT TO FILLOUR WATER BUCKETS...""ALL THIS BECAUSE THE WELL ATTHEIR CLOVIS, CALIFORNIA HOMELITERALLY RAN DRY -- THE RESULTOF YEARS OF UNDERWHELMINGPRECIPITATION IN THE REGION.:"... IT WENT FROM BEINGSUFFICIENT TO BEING GONEOVERNIGHBY A STROKE OF LUCK, THE BOYLANSCAME ACROSS SELF-HELP ENTERPRISES WHICH HELPSRESIDENTS GETTHE WATER THEY NEED.:"IT'S A 2,500 GALLON TANK ANDTHEN WE HAUL WATER WEEKLY ANDTHEY CANRESUME NORMAL HOUSEHOLDACTIVITIES."THE BOYLANS AREN'T THE ONLY ONESIN THIS PREDICAMENT.ACROSS THE STATE'S CENTRALVALLEY, WELLS ARE DRYING OUT --DRAWING UP DEMAND.THE FAMILY IS ON A 9-MONTHWAITING LIST TO DRILL A NEW,DEEPER WELL."HOW EARLY DURING THE YEAR DIDTHECALLS START TO COME IN FOR THENEED FOR WATER?""40% MORE CALLS IN MARCH ANDTHENAPRIL WE WERE PRETTY MUCH FULLINTO A DROUGHT."IN FACT, CALIFORNIA JUSTRECORDED ITS LOWEST RAINFALLYEAR SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN1895.AND IT'S NOT JUST HOMEOWNERS.EVEN TOWNS ARE BEING FORCED TODRILL DEEPER TO FIND WATER"WE ALL JUST EXPECT TO GO UP TOTHEFAUCET, TURN IT ON AND THERE'SWATER.

BUT WHEN THERE ISN'T,IT'S A SHOCK."FRANK GALAVIZ LIVES IN TEVISTON.HE SAYS IN EARLYJUNE, 700 OR SO RESIDENTS WERELEFT HIGH AND DRY FOR ABOUTTWO WEEKS AFTER THE TOWN'S WELLFAILED.NOW THEY ARE RELYING ON THESE 4MASSIVE ABOVE GROUNDTANKS THAT GET REFILLED DAILY.EACH HOLDS 10,000 GALLONSOF CRUCIAL H-2-0 IN A DISTRICTWHERE ONLY ONE OF 3 WELLS ISNOW FUNCTIONAL.A QUARTER OF AMERICA'S FOOD ISPRODUCED HERE IN THECENTRAL VALLEY -- WITH 80PERCENT OF CALIFORNIA'S WATERSUPPLYGOING TO AGRICULTURE.

SO WITHTHE LACK OF RAIN, GROWERSARE RELYING HEAVILY ONGROUNDWATER PUMPED FROMACROSS THE REGION TO IRRIGATETHEIR CROPS.

WHILESOME WORRY THAT INCREASEDPUMPING COULD IMPACT SMALLERWELLS, GALAVIZ SAYS THE GIANTAGRICULTURE MACHINE IS ANECESSITY."WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FOOD.

WEHAVETO HAVE THE WORK FOR OUR FARMWORKERS."AND THIS MUCH DRYNESS SO EARLYIN THE SUMMER DOESN'TBODE WELL."WE EXPECT A LOT MORE WELLS TOGODRY, BOTH FOR COMMUNITIES ANDBOTH FOR PRIVATE WELLS."AS FOR LAUREL BOYLAN, SHE WASAWASH WITH EMOTIONS AS THEPLUMBERS FINALLY ARRIVED WITHHER TANKS.WHAT DOES THAT SOUND LIKE TOYOU?""IT SOUNDS LIKE HEAVEN.

I CAN'TEVEN IMAGINE WE ARE ACTUALLYGOING TOBE ABLE TO SHOWER TONIGHTAND LET'S BRING CHIEFMETEOROLOGIST ELAINA RUSK BA

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