In a story from the Los Angeles Times yesterday, the Mojave Desert groundwater that Cadiz Incorporated wants to sell to Southland suburbs contains hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen, in amounts that are hundreds of times greater than the state’s public health goal for drinking water. The presence of the toxic heavy metal, which occurs naturally in the aquifer Cadiz proposes to tap, could force the company to undertake expensive treatment, driving up the cost of the project and ultimately the price of its water. The chromium contamination is one of several concerns raised by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which owns and operates the 242-mile-long Colorado River Aqueduct that Cadiz would use to transport its supplies to customers. Metropolitan has also informed Cadiz that the aqueduct space the company is counting on may not always be available. The issues, described in environmental documents released last week, add to the numerous hurdles Cadiz faces as it pursues the controversial project. A public hearing on the final EIR will be held this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. with a live teleconference link to Copper Mountain College’s Bell Center. To read the full article, click on this link.
