Harmon calls the Ivanhoe a ‘rock pile’ and he doesn’t want to drill a well there. Because in the forgiving ground the two rigs of Harmon are already tied up in California’s central valley. There’s a whiteboard in the office of Harmon, which is completely filled with future jobs. and people religiously call him a veteran with a bad heart.
California wells are drying up and shrinking, lack of drinking water. Shrinking wells lead to drier and hotter weather in California and are followed by severe drought for the third consecutive year. California has already calculated the record for dry wells, this year there are 1,351 dry wells. Around 40% more than the last year’s rate. The areas are surrounded by orange and almond trees in San Joaquin Valley. Whole communities are dependent on and rely on bottled or packed water to survive. In the region over 2,400 households installed emergency plastic water tanks in the yards and keep their taps flowing and running.
To fill the tanks it takes a fleet of vehicles, mostly trucks. And these hold up to 2,500 to 3,000 gallons, the minimum is every two weeks. This year, the tanks are also new, more than half. The Self-Help’s director of emergency services- Tami McVay have expected an increase in dry wells this year. She has noticed that the level of groundwater at several places has fallen down in only one year, and by hundreds of feet.
Last year, the organization of Tami McVay delivered many water bottles in an emergency. Dry wells has threatened the supply of water in two communities last year. But this year, the same has happened in about 20 communities. She said we don’t think we are mentally prepared for this, because of how fast this was happening to us and people.
