Brown Proposes Fund To Pay For Clean Water For Those Exposed To Contaminated Systems
In many cases, those residents, who are predominately low income, spend up to 10 percent of their income on purchasing clean drinking water.
Sacramento Bee:
Jerry Brown Wants Fees To Pay For Clean Drinking Water
As part of his final budget proposal, Gov. Jerry Brown wants new fees on water to provide clean and affordable drinking water to the approximately 1 million Californians who are exposed to contaminated water in their homes and communities each year. The fund would pay for short- and long-term improvements to water infrastructure and help clean up contaminated drinking water systems that affect primarily rural, low-income regions. (Kobin, 3/14)
In other public health news —
The Washington Post:
Traffic Deaths Continue To Soar Despite Cities’ Pledges To Get Them To ‘Zero’
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser stood in the heart of Union Station on Feb. 20, 2015, and promised to lead the nation’s capital into an era free of traffic fatalities. “We are taking our first step toward realizing a ‘Vision Zero’ where no lives are lost on our streets or at our intersections,” said a newly elected Bowser, setting a goal of zero road deaths by 2024. Instead, the number of traffic fatalities has steadily increased since then, frustrating city officials and advocates, and seemingly putting the goal further from reach. (Lazo, 3/14)
San Diego Union-Times:
Another 13 Flu Deaths, County Reports
Thirteen recent influenza-related deaths have brought the season's total to 302 in San Diego County, health officials said Wednesday. This has been a particularly severe flu season in the region and across the country. At this time last year, just 68 deaths were reported. “The increased number of reported deaths is the result of the severe flu season we are having, but is also due to better surveillance methods, which allow the county to more easily identify and classify flu fatalities,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer. “Flu cases are still occurring throughout the region, so people should continue getting vaccinated and taking other preventive measures.” (3/14)