Interior Department Threatens to Cut California Water Supply

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-People are finally realizing that the drought is real-not something I thought up in a bar.- That-s from Pat Mulroy, who runs the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which provides water to America-s fastest growing city: Las Vegas. Even worse are Southern California's water problems. Five years of continuous drought have left Lake Mead and Lake Powell at their lowest simultaneous levels in history, 80 and 120 feet below where they-re supposed to be. With no relief in sight, the federal government is threatening to reduce the water supply for tens of millions of people in Southern California. Warren Olney asks some of the major players if one of the Southland-s worst nightmares is about to come true. Reporter's Notebook: Hexavalent Chromium Threatens San Fernando Valley Aquifers Erin Brockovich told the story of hexavalent chromium in the water supply in Hinkely, northeast of Palmdale. A known carcinogen when it-s inhaled as dust, nobody knows what happens to those who drink Chromium-6. Last year, when the veteran water-master warned of a -clear and present danger- from Chromium-6 surrounding San Fernando Valley water wells, the Legislature ordered a study, but it-s never been done. Chip Jacobs co-wrote a story about the issue for the current City Beat magazine.
-People are finally realizing that the drought is real-not something I thought up in a bar.- That-s from Pat Mulroy, who runs the Southern Nevada Water Authority, which provides water to America-s fastest growing city: Las Vegas. Even worse are Southern California's water problems. Five years of continuous drought have left Lake Mead and Lake Powell at their lowest simultaneous levels in history, 80 and 120 feet below where they-re supposed to be. With no relief in sight, the federal government is threatening to reduce the water supply for tens of millions of people in Southern California. Warren Olney asks some of the major players if one of the Southland-s worst nightmares is about to come true.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Hexavalent Chromium Threatens San Fernando Valley Aquifers
    Erin Brockovich told the story of hexavalent chromium in the water supply in Hinkely, northeast of Palmdale. A known carcinogen when it-s inhaled as dust, nobody knows what happens to those who drink Chromium-6. Last year, when the veteran water-master warned of a -clear and present danger- from Chromium-6 surrounding San Fernando Valley water wells, the Legislature ordered a study, but it-s never been done. Chip Jacobs co-wrote a story about the issue for the current City Beat magazine.

Interior Department's Water 2025

Southern Nevada Water Authority

Water Resource Policies of Sierra Club California

Association of Ground Water Agencies

California Department of Health Services on Chromium-6

Erin Brockovich

Jacobs' cover story on Chromium-6

OSHA on Hexavalent Chromium

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton