📰 What Happened: Climate change is driving longer, hotter summers, but access to pools, splash pads, and lakes remains deeply unequal. In Los Angeles County, the communities most vulnerable to heat often have the fewest water-based amenities. Barriers like cost, distance, and limited public transit compound the inequity.

🔍 A Closer Look: County reports show inland communities such as East L.A. and the Antelope Valley face both high climate risks and limited access to water. While regional lakes help, they’re hard to reach. Neighborhood water features like splash pads are cheaper, more adaptable, and offer key local relief—but are still rare.

🧠 Why It Matters: Equitable access to aquatic spaces promotes physical and mental health, fosters bonds, and boosts climate resilience. As heat waves grow more intense and frequent, investing in water infrastructure and programming must become a public priority in broader planning, climate, and transportation strategies.