BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — California’s problem with poor water quality is worsening and Kern County is the epicenter of the crisis.
The number of failing water systems is growing statewide, leaving more than a million residents with contaminated water. Most of those failing systems are in disadvantaged communities, where residents wonder when state regulators will finally ensure they can drink tap water without fearing it may harm their health.
Contaminated water on some school campuses
The days of lining up at a water fountain are over for children at many schools in Kern County, not by choice, but because of failing water systems.
Lakeside Union School District is a prime example. It’s a tiny southwest Bakersfield school district of 1,600 students at two schools, primarily located in a quiet, rural, agricultural area. The district has its own water system, and according to Superintendent Ty Bryson, since 2009, Lakeside has used bottled water because of contaminants.
“The very basic ability for a student to just go to a drinking fountain at recess and get a drink of water is denied to us because of contamination in our water supply,” Bryson said.