Environment
Before California's Drought, a Century of Disparity
In the San Joaquin Valley, a legacy of shortsighted land-use planning has intensified the water crisis for poor residents.
Editor’s Note: This story is part one of a three-part series on the future of the San Joaquin Valley’s unincorporated communities. Read parts two and three.
FRESNO, Calif.—Bulmario Tapia Madrigal doesn’t want to shower in a stream of dirt. He doesn’t want to cook with bottled water, haul a bucketful to flush the toilet, or wonder if he has enough water to clean the diabetes wounds on his feet. But since his well went dry three months ago, that’s how life has been.