Californians disgusted by stinky black tap water; officials tell them to drink it anyway

(NaturalNews) Residents of a Southern California neighborhood are concerned about the fact that the water flowing out of the taps in their homes is the color black. That's right; the water coming out of their faucets is indeed black -- not gray, not cloudy -- but black. Inky, opaque black water that the water company says is okay to drink.

Those who live in Gardena, California, are understandably skeptical when asked to consume water that strongly resembles crude oil or something emitted by a squid. The water reportedly also has an "odor of rotten eggs or sewer smell," according to one resident.

Locals say the problem has been occurring off and on for several months but has grown increasingly worse. Most residents are afraid to drink the water, with many complaining about the expense of buying bottled water and replacing filthy water filters on a regular basis.

Golden State Water Company told local NBC news reporters that this was an "isolated situation," and that they will "continue to investigate" the matter.

In another local news video, the reporter quotes a company representative as saying that the water samples provided by residents could not be tested, because they were not collected in "special containers."

In other words, the company has not even bothered to test samples of the contaminated water, or if they have, they aren't telling anyone the results.

Some locals are even reporting health problems associated with the contaminated water. One woman claims that she and her daughter both became ill after drinking the water. Other residents say they are "scared" and currently drink only bottled water.

Golden State Water Company has offered small compensation in the form of deductions from water bills, but at least one resident says it is not enough to cover the cost of filter changes and bottled water purchases.

News stories about contaminated water supplies have become commonplace these days, it seems. As clean water resources are exploited to a critical degree due to an ever-increasing demand, we can expect to see more of these types of incidents throughout the country.

The fact is that there is just not enough clean water to go around, particularly in the western states where rainfall is scarce and where recent drought cycles have made matters even worse. Water rights have always been a source of dispute in states such as California, where agricultural demands on water resources must compete with the demands of an ever-growing population.

Industry, agriculture and the population's requirements not only compete for scarce water resources but also pollute existing supplies. Pipeline leaks, pollution from fracking, runoff from farms containing pesticides and fertilizers -- all of these put our precious aquifers, reservoirs, lakes and rivers at risk.

Although it is unclear whether there is a connection to the Gardena neighborhood's problem, California regulators recently authorized the dumping of oilfield waste into public drinking water reservoirs.

The Associated Press has published an analysis in which it was revealed that permits allowing the injection of petroleum "production fluids and waste" into federally protected aquifers. The practice has been going on for decades, but in recent years the approval process has been streamlined and many more such injections are now taking place.

Water is our most precious natural resource, and to squander it is a folly that will prove to have immense consequences in the future. Without water, life ceases to exist -- if we don't act to protect the water sources we have and learn how to live within reasonable and renewable limits, we will soon become obsolete as a species.

Sources:

http://www.breitbart.com

http://www.nbclosangeles.com

http://abc7.com