Fewer
Communities Risk Running Out Of Water In California Drought
Send a link to a friend
[April 25, 2014]
SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) — A
moderate dose of winter rainfall hasn't ended California's historic
drought, but it has dropped just enough moisture on the beleaguered
state to help 14 communities that had risked running out of water.
|
In January, public health officials in the most populous U.S.
state said that 17 communities were at risk of running out of water
in 60 to 90 days.
But now just three small communities were at risk, one in the
central part of the state and two in the north, Department of Public
Health spokeswoman Anita Gore said on Thursday.
Gore said the towns' troubles had been eased due to a combination of
intervention from the state and a series of storms that dropped up
to 11 inches at a time on the parched state during February and
March.
In the town of Willits, for example, a grant from the state helped
to pay for a backup water treatment plant constructed within weeks
of the drought's declaration by Governor Jerry Brown in January.
In other communities, the state has helped dig new wells and extend
pipelines so small water systems could be expanded.
But Gore cautioned that the drought was not over.
"The emphasis on drought-related drinking water concerns continues,"
she said in an email. "While the recent rains throughout the state
helped ease the immediate supply concerns for some systems, this is
the third dry year in a row and the recent rains will not end the
drought."
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_040113.png)
Conservation will continue to be crucial as the drought continues,
she said.
Rain is predicted for parts of Northern California this weekend.
(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; editing by Cynthia Johnston, Bernard
Orr)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Apr/25/images/ads/current/farmers_grain_daily_sda_022414.png) |