9 cities in the United States may be left without clean drinking water

Many of us consider running water to be something that has always been and will be. But recent events prove that water shortages can become a reality for many US cities. This has already happened. In 2014, near Bakersfield, California, hundreds of wells dried up. Forced to live without running water until 2016, residents received bottled water, which they brought by truck, until the neighboring town expanded its water supply.

Фото: Depositphotos

Due to population surges, natural disasters and climate change in the near future, taps will dry out all over the world, writes Cheat sheet. Today we will talk about the densely populated cities of America, which are experiencing difficulties with drinking water right now, and just about everything can get worse.

1. San Francisco

One of the main problems in California: the state's water supply is too dependent on the weather. The Golden State is currently experiencing its worst drought in history. San Francisco's population explosion continues unabated, worsening overall conditions for residents who rely on a constant supply of clean water. The Colorado River is struggling to provide this resource to such a vast region - and this city will be hit hardest.

2. El Paso TX

Cities like El Paso, Texas, have been affected by changes in the Rio Grande River. Rio is at its lowest level in 70 years, but millions of people still rely on the river to provide most of their water needs in the southwest. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Huffington Post noted this city as a place of "high risk" for water scarcity and its quality.

3. Denver

Denver is also under threat. In the case of Colorado, the matter is in high demand and low supply. The West uses vast amounts of water to support agriculture and its growing population. In 2050, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States will double in population, which can cause disaster for many residents who rely on water from the gradually drying up Colorado River.

4. Phoenix

Arizona constantly lives in drought conditions, receiving most of its water supply from the Colorado River, which is not very productive now. Sources say that water shortages can already occur in the 2019 year, when the water level in the Mead reservoir on the Colorado River drops to a dangerous level. The entire state will suffer, but especially Phoenix will get it.

Фото: Depositphotos

5. Las Vegas

Problems with water levels in Colorado will also spell disaster for Las Vegas. The lack of new alternative sources of drinking water is forcing residents to finance multi-million dollar water pump upgrades. Although 2017 and 2018 passed, experts fear further project delays will leave hundreds of thousands of Las Vegas Valley residents without clean water in just a few years.

6. Miami

East Coast cities are also experiencing water problems. Miami faces rising sea levels, threatening fresh water pollution. Nearly 90% of South Florida's drinking water comes from the aquifer. Miami sits on a bed of porous limestone that can contaminate drinking water supplies, as has happened in the neighboring city of Hallandale Beach. Salt water has breached five of the eight freshwater wells that supply water to the city's 40 residents.

7. Atlanta, GA

When one of your main tanks is classified as an "empty pool", you are definitely in trouble. 10 years ago, that's exactly what happened to West Point Lake, a 3,400-square-mile (8800-square-kilometer) reservoir outside Atlanta. The city has not recovered since then, despite efforts to modernize the sewer system. Georgia is part of a water dispute along with Alabama and Florida, which has experts concerned that water resources will soon dry up.

8. Lincoln, Nebraska

Extreme drought in 2012 lowered Platte River levels to record levels. However, residents did not reduce their water consumption. That, coupled with persistently high temperatures, dry weather and severe agricultural needs, has experts believing Lincoln is at serious risk of running out of water. Nebraska is the leading producer of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay in the United States, so water is essential here.

9. Los Angeles

Many obstacles affect the Los Angeles water supply process. Firstly, the huge size and population of the city create high demand. In addition, the metropolis still loses about 80% of its water in the Santa Monica Bay region as a result of large-scale forest fires. Los Angeles imports a huge share of its water from the Colorado River basin daily. Using this river as a source creates a problem for many other US cities, and the City of Angels is no exception.

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