This video was produced as part of the project entitled "Improving Water Quality and Access to Safe Water in California’s Central Valley" and explains where nitrate comes from, why it is an issue, and how it moves in groundwater in the Central Valley. The project involves multiple collaborative studies to strengthen disadvantaged communities’ ability to advocate for improved access to clean water under severe drought and climate change and address water contamination by nitrates, uranium, pesticides, and other pollutants. The video was created on March 2025 in response to the Environmental Justice Video Challenge for Students. Production was led by Iris Stewart-Frey, along with students Sophia Rooney, Erica Svendahl, and Lilah Foster. The California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA), especially Marisol Aguilar, were collaborators.
The Disproportionate Impact of Nitrate Contamination and Drought on Disadvantaged Communities