Congressman Ruiz highlights efforts to improve clean water access for east valley residents
Local Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz was in the east valley on Friday discussing improvements to access to clean drinking water for residents of the area.
Earlier this month, Ruiz helped secure nearly $3 million in federal funding to help with the construction of a new water transmission line to underserved communities that currently rely on unreliable private water systems.
"This is so important a piece of the larger puzzle that we need to implement this water project to bring clean water to everybody," Ruiz said.
This comes just a few days after the EPA issued emergency declarations due to cancer-causing arsenic in the drinking water of four mobile home parks in tribal land near Thermal.
Since 2019, the EPA has issued emergency orders to at least 8 mobile home parks in the east valley, all due to high levels of arsenic in the drinking water.
The issue was so bad at one local mobile home park that the state is working to move thousands of residents to another location after approving a $30 million grant.
The funding for Ruiz's clean drinking water act comes from an appropriations package signed into law by President Joe Biden. The package will bring federal funding directly to the 36th District. It includes $10 million secured by Ruiz to benefit ten different community projects throughout the region.
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