Opinion: To Protect Our Children, California Must Fix Our Water Quality Problem Now

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Rhonda M. Smith | Special to California Black Media PartnersRhonda Smith, Executive Director of the California Black Health Network (CBHN)OPINION (CBM) – August marked the start of a new academic year as California’s K-12 students headed back to freshly decorated classrooms.While some parents may welcome the fact that summer vacation has ended, not all parents can be certain their children are safe in our public and private schools. According to recent reports, many low-income families and their children may be exposed to dangerously unsafe water in public schools. This month, reports of high levels of lead in the historically Black neighborhoods of South-Central Los Angeles came to light by a local environmental group. No amount of classroom décor can mask the reality of poor water quality in children’s homes and schools.That’s why it’s important for state and local lawmakers to address the underlying infrastructural gaps perpetuating the problem – like old water pipes, dams, and spillways – instead of pursuing ineffective solutions that often impose significant unintended consequences for low-income families, leaving them in the same situation they’ve faced for decades.We believe that everyone has the right to clean water, clean air, and life in a clean, safe environment, regardless...

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