KNX Running On Empty: California's Severe Water Shortage

As California faces one of the most severe droughts on record, KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO will present a comprehensive examination of the region's current water emergency in a day-long series entitled, "Running on Empty: Our Epic Drought," to air on Thursday, July 31 from 5:00am – 7:00pm exclusively on KNX 1070 and cbsLA.com.

KNX 1070's award-winning news staff, led by producers Charles Feldman and Laraine Herman, will look at the impact the worsening drought will have on our lives far beyond washing our cars, watering our lawns and putting our skis in storage. A potential health emergency looms, firefighters are changing the way they battle fires and some areas are already on the verge of running out of water.

"This historic drought has started affecting our grocery bills and it's only the tip of the iceberg," Feldman said. "Southern Californians will not only see food prices continue to rise but government health experts are concerned about the spread of infectious diseases and other serious related issues."

KNX will detail what sets the current drought apart from those the state has experienced in the recent past. Among the questions to be answered are what food products might disappear from shelves and which ones will get costlier, who decides who'll be able to tap into the eroding water supply and what will the long-term effects be on the local environment and wildlife?

A special edition of the KNX Business Hour with Frank Mottek at 1:00pm will break down the financial and employment impact of the drought on our local economy, corporations and small businesses.

Seven KNX reporters have conducted more than 50 interviews with California Governor Jerry Brown, representatives from the Metropolitan and Orange County Water Districts, climatologists, environmentalists, farmers and others.

Podcasts and companion stories will be posted at www.cbsLA.com/drought and listeners can join the conversation on social media using #KNXdrought.

"Running on Empty" is the latest special series as part of KNX's in-depth coverage of high-profile topics following "Healthcare Uncovered," winner of five awards for broadcast excellence for its look at the Affordable Care Act, and "Driven to Gridlock," which delved into Southern California's traffic nightmare.