Tony Tores has lived in Monson for 50 years. Like many of his neighbors, access to good water is a big problem. High nitrate levels make their tap water undrinkable.
Tores says, "It didn't taste like it used to,so we started losing faith in that and we started buying water. It is a little hassle."
It's been a problem for decades.
Sam Logan, Visalia Rotary Club President says, "People in those little communities are driving in some cases 20 miles to get to one of these water kiosks, paying 25, 30 as high as 40 cents a gallon."
So ten Rotary Clubs from Fresno to Carlsbad decided to do something about it. They've raised $15,000 to change the lives of 49 families.
"Our goal is to put in filters that will take out arsenic, will take out nitrate, will take out radon, will take out potentially uranium, will take out bacteriological problems," says Logan.
Each system costs $150. Families will get them free. The only thing they'll have to do is change the filters every 6 months.
Patrick Isherwood, Tulare Sunshine Rotary Club President says, "The overall annual cost if it progresses would be about $200 a year. That cost is far cheaper than buying bottled water."
Rotarian Michael Tharpe says it's a short term fix. "They have a need and some action is better than no action."
Tores says, "At first we're not gonna trust it like everybody else you know and we'll probably keep buying water until we're sure positively that it is safe."
He's a little skeptical, but Tores is grateful for the help until a permanent solution is found.
The state water department has offered to test the water for the families once the new systems are installed, to make sure it is safe to drink. Rotarians plan to start installing the systems within the next two weeks.
The rotary clubs also plan to install a new water filtration system at Stone Corral Elementary School in Seville in the next two months.
TXT 24
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