Agua University...Educating our future decision makers

Much to Celebrate in Compton and LA

Wed, 7 Jul 2010 10:24:45 -0700

At a press conference today, USA EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the much awaited decision to declare the LA River "navigable." This decision ensures that the river will get the protection it needs and sets us on a path for people to access it legally for its enjoyment.

Our Compton High School Agua University students and the LA Conservation Corps' LA River Keepers were present at the press conference to demonstrate how they collect water quality samples at Compton Creek. For the youth present it was an opportunity to express their interest in their creek and to join top officials in their commitment to revitalize and protect local water ways.

For Agua University it is extremely important that youth be recognized as today's leaders and the leaders of tomorrow. We are extremely proud of the youth that have taken the time to engage in the very controversial topic that is water. They have taken on the task of learning about water issues in their community, not because they seek office or reelection, but rather because they understand that they have a responsibility to their community, their families, their environment.

The announcement made by Administrator Jackson, reassures our youth that current decision makers are interested in affording todays youth and tomorrow's decision makers an opportunity to interact with nature in their local communities. That water is important at all levels and that we must protect our water ways, rural and urban.

We are excited about current successes in the city and county but understand that much work lies ahead. We are thankful and look forward to our continued partnerships with organizations like: Heal the Bay, LA Conservation Corps, Friends of the LA River, EJCW and the support of many, like: City of LA Councilmember Ed Reyes, LA County Supervisor Ridley-Thomas and many others.

LA River Keepers at Tillman Plant

Tue, 4 May 2010 17:15:27 -0700

Today we kicked-off our Agua University LA River Keeper special edition by visiting the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys. The day offered the 10 LA River keepers present the opportunity to learn about reclaimed water in Los Angeles. Our tour guide, Department of Public Works Environmental Engineer John Mays, walked us thru a very informative step-by-step process of Tillman’s wastewater treatment technology. It was interesting for the youth to learn that 80% of the water in the LA River they interact with on a daily basis comes from the Tillman Plant.

After the plant tour we also walked thru the Japanese Garden to see the beautiful landscape and habitat supported by the water from the plant.

The day concluded with a presentation and dialogue on the state of water in CA, how we get our water to Los Angeles and the connections of water to our parks and neighborhoods. It was great to see the youth take such an interest in water and ask so many questions.

These set of classes seek to expose students to data, presentations and hands-on experiences that will give them a deeper understanding of water in their communities and the region.

For more information on the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, please visit: http://www.lasewers.org/treatment_plants/tillman/index.htm

Agua University: Agua University Students meet Youth For AGUA

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:50:03 -0700

Sunday mornings are always great for sleeping in. This past Sunday was different for 3 Agua University grads. By 5:00am they were already on the road on a 200+ mile journey towards Tulare in the San Juaquin Valley.

For the past 5 months Agua-U students from Compton have been visiting different parts of the state in preparation for their statewide water tour scheduled for this summer. The purpose of these preparation trips are for the youth to get to know other youth from different parts of the state that will also be part of the trip. These “meet & monitor” trips have served as a way for youth to start exchanging information about their water quality and supply issues in their areas.

The trip this Sunday focused on water issues in the central valley and how the youth there are taking action thru grass-roots activism. The youth from Compton had the opportunity to meet and exchange information about their communities with youth from Visalia, Cutler, and East Orosi. All unincorporated communities of Tulare County.

According to the Community Water Center, an active organization working on water and social justice issues in the Central Valley and our host for the day, drinking water quality in the San Joaquin Valley is the worst in California, due to the pollution of groundwater sources from decades of intensive fertilizer and pesticide application as well as the massive influx of animal factories to the region. Tulare County, one of the poorest counties in California, is more than 50% Latino and the site of the largest number of drinking water violations in the San Joaquin Valley. Over 20% of all small public water systems in Tulare County provide water with illegal levels of nitrate and other contaminants

Our peer hosts were youth members of the A.G.U.A. Coalition whose initials stand for la Asociación de Gente Unida por el Agua, or the Association of People United for Water. The genesis of “Youth for A.G.U.A.” came out of the organic participation of the youth when their parents participated in community meetings and rallies. As the youth learned more and more about the problem of drinking water contamination, they realized the need for youth organizing around the issue. Today, the youth group meets on a regular basis. They have elected representatives for the Coordinating Council of A.G.U.A., and they have their own Treasurer and Spokespeople.

Our time in Tulare consisted of a morning water quality training session, a tour of the area which allowed us to first hand see the issues of the mega-dairies and farming practices and a visit to East Osori where we had the opportunity to test the drinking water at one of the youth’s home.

Using basic water monitoring equipment, the youth tested the drinking water for: ph, alkalinity, hardness, bacteria, lead, copper, pesticides, and nitrates/nitrites. Not surprising, the water tested positive for nitrates. According to the Community Water Center, the primary groundwater contaminant in the San Joaquin Valley is nitrate. High levels of nitrate come from fertilizers, animal factory waste, and leaky septic systems. At concentrations that exceed the state and federal health standards, nitrate can cause death in infants less than 6 months old, stillbirths, and cancer in adults.

Of course, these findings were nothing new to the Tulare youth. They and their families deal with contaminated water issues on a daily basis. The water system in their community is solely reliant on groundwater that has tested for high levels of nitrates above legal limits. The local high school is no longer able to use its groundwater well due to contamination. Students have to buy water or Gatorade at school if they need to drink anything during the day or during gym classes.

So basically, they pay for the infrastructure and the water delivered to their homes but are unable to use it for basic needs, like drinking water and water for cooking. Instead they have to buy bottled water.

But however bleak the current situation is, the youth are not taking it lying down. They have stepped up to the plate and become ambassadors of their community. They are water experts and can talk about the water problems, offer solutions and hold accountable those who are responsible. Recently, some of them traveled to New York as part of the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing, where they met with other young people from over 20 nationwide organizations. And just a couple of weeks ago they were featured on a Nickelodeon news special title “Your Thirsty World”.

Agua University feels privileged to have met such extraordinary youth and we are excited about the relationships established. We look forward to spending time with them and other youth form the Winnemem Wintu Tribe (another group of extraordinary youth –more to come) and Bay Area youth for the Statewide Water Warriors Tour this summer. We are confidant that as the youth movement continues to grow around water justice, we will be able to look back at this summer tour as a watershed moment.

For more information on Youth for Agua, please visit http://www.communitywaterc

enter.org