Cut off at the tap: Homeless people living in San Jose park struggle to find clean water

DOZENS OF HOMELESS RESIDENTS living at Columbus Park in San Jose have struggled to get drinking water, as local sources in the park have been off and on for weeks.

Residents encamped in RVs and vehicles said they used to get their drinking water from fountains in the park, but the city shut the water off for at least two months. Some reverted to collecting water in containers from a spigot to bathe, wash their hands and cook. But when the spigot shut off mid-March, residents had to limit their baths and rely on advocates to bring them drinking water or find another water source elsewhere.