Question

California takes half of its drinking water from groundwater, and agriculture uses five times that much for irrigation. Because the soil is sandy and porous, harmful pesticides were easily washed into the groundwater. What is a potential solution to correct this problem?

A. Implement stricter regulations on pesticide use in agriculture.
B. Develop more efficient irrigation techniques.
C. Promote the use of natural pesticides.
D. Increase the extraction of groundwater for drinking purposes.

Answer 1

a. Implementing stricter regulations on pesticide use in agriculture and developing more efficient irrigation techniques are potential solutions.

Step-by-step explanation:

A potential solution to correct the problem of harmful pesticides easily washing into California's groundwater is to implement stricter regulations on pesticide use in agriculture (option A). By enforcing stricter guidelines and restrictions on the types and amounts of pesticides used, the likelihood of contamination can be significantly reduced.

Additionally, developing more efficient irrigation techniques (option B) can help minimize the amount of water required for agriculture, thus reducing the volume of groundwater used for irrigation and lowering the potential for pesticide contamination.