East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice info@eycej.org 323.263.2113

H20urs: People Protecting Water

H20urs is a collaboration between Urban and Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI) at Occidental College and EYCEJ focusing on public drinking water quality. This collaboration became a reality after years of water quality issues our members experienced in schools and in their communities.

Bell Garden’s community member taking sample from a public park.

In 2018, members went through educational workshops to understand the complexities of our drinking water systems, trainings to learn how to accurately take water samples for testing, and learn how to take action through community sharing, engagement, and policy change. Members took a total of 30 water samples from public spaces in their respective neighborhoods including Long Beach, Lynwood, Commerce, and East Los Angeles.

In January of 2019, we were able to present the results from the water testing and trace out the next steps that community members wanted to take. UEPI and EYCEJ created a report outlining members concerns and proposed solutions to work towards clean, safe drinking water.

To view the full report, click here, and to check out the project website with more information, click here.

Group photo of community members after a training at UEPI at Occidental College.