LOS ANGELES, CA – Oralia Avila shares her compelling childhood experiences and the transformative journey towards clean water in Los Angeles County in a moving op-ed published by CalMatters. Currently working in customer services for Suburban Water Systems, Oralia vividly narrates the trials faced by her community due to unreliable water services and how collective advocacy led to significant changes.
Titled “Where can Californians turn when their water is brown? LA County saga shows the way,” the op-ed is a part of the California Voices series, aiming to highlight the personal impacts of policy on Californians.
Growing up with brown tap water that sometimes carried an odor, Oralia and her community in the Sativa Water District endured neglect and mismanagement that persisted until vocal public outcry and media attention spurred legislative action. This community’s struggle culminated in the intervention by Los Angeles County and the subsequent acquisition of the Sativa district by Suburban Water Systems, ensuring clean and affordable water for the residents.
This transformative story not only highlights the challenges faced by many communities but also underscores the power of civic engagement and the positive outcomes that can result from public and private cooperation.
Read Oralia’s full story and learn about the efforts to ensure water equity in California: https://calmatters.org/commentary/2024/06/brown-water-tap-california-districts/
