A regional water board says the oil wastewater used to water crops is safe, but experts say critical data about certain chemicals is missing because oil companies don't want to reveal trade secrets.
The wastewater, euphemistically called "produced water," is used to water Kern County crops like almonds and pistachios.
Using chemical-laden water might not sound like a great idea, but the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board says the water is safe for irrigation.
Never mind that scientists don't actually know for sure what happens when an alphabet soup of oil industry chemicals and additives that have been used to extract oil are used to water food crops.
Here's a novel idea: Maybe it's time we plant less water-intensive crops that don't require extra water containing toxic chemicals.
Sponsored