This summer, historic heat waves have hit every part of the United States. About 140 million people nationwide were under heat alert on July 13, and July 21 marked the hottest day on planet Earth ever recorded.  This devastating heat poses a massive threat to our health, food, and water — and it will only get worse as climate change intensifies. As we all sweat through this summer, we urgently need policies that protect us from extreme heat and tackle climate change at the root. … Extreme heat is also imperiling our access to clean water. For one, the high temperatures stress the infrastructure and equipment vital to treating and delivering water. … For another, high temperatures increase the likelihood of drought and make them more intense. This has concerning implications for regions like the Western U.S., which is still in the midst of a historic decades-long megadrought despite last winter’s rains.