How Safe is California’s Tap Water?

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 30 August 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The tap water in Southern and Central California’s urban areas are among the U.S. regions most exposed to PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” according to a recent study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Almost half the tap water in the United States contains one or more PFAS, high levels of which are linked to health issues like infertility and cancer, the study found. It’s raising questions about water quality in a state where more than 1 million people already lack access to safe water, especially in low-income, disadvantaged communities. Still, “drinking water across California is largely safe,” according to the Pacific Institute. We’ll look at the state of tap water in California and talk with experts about how to make sure your drinking water is safe. Related link(s): EWG’s Tap Water Database: Look up your local water system to find out which pollutants might be of concern, and find suggestions on the best kinds of home filters to remove those chemicals EWG’s Water Filter Guide Guests: Susana De Anda, co-founder and executive director, Community Water Center - a nonprofit environmental justice organization based in California’s San Joaquin Valley E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair, California State Water Resources Control Board Gregory Pierce, director, Human Right to Water Solutions Lab - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist, Environmental Working Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	Support for KGBD Podcasts comes from Landmark College, offering a fully online graduate level
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0:30.2	From KQED.
0:31.2	Thank you. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Nina Kim.
0:50.0	Coming up on forum, recent headlines about so-called forever chemicals and concerns about
0:55.0	water filter effectiveness after a recent lawsuit accusing Britta of false advertising
0:59.5	are again raising questions about the safety and quality of our drinking water.
1:04.8	In California, it's generally regarded as safe, but as with so many things, it depends on
1:09.7	where in the state you live.
1:11.8	This hour, we'll learn about resources to help you determine the safety of what's coming out
1:15.9	of your tap and the latest science on drinking water contaminants. Join us. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim.
1:37.0	Concern is growing over the safety of our drinking water, after researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey last month found nearly half the nation's tap water contained PFS.
1:47.1	The study is one of the most extensive federal studies to look directly at water coming from public supplies and private wells,
1:53.5	and in California found that exposure to these so-called forever chemicals appeared more common in urban areas across southern and central California.
2:03.7	So how dangerous are these chemicals and what can we do about them?
2:08.3	Joining me is Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at Environmental Working Group.
	...

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