Will Fresno's Small Drinking Water Systems Hook Up to City?
SJV-Water
By SJV Water
Published 2 years ago on
September 28, 2021
Royalty-free stock photo ID: 576696271 Abstract Splash of Water on a Blue Background

Share

State drinking water officials have quietly targeted a dozen small, disadvantaged water systems in Fresno for possible aid. But it could still take up to three years to get through the paperwork and start putting pipes in the ground.

“It takes a long time, years, to go from concept to actual construction starting,” acknowledged Sue Ruiz, senior community development specialist with nonprofit Self-Help Enterprises.

By Jesse Vad

SJV Water

The State Water Resources Control Board commissioned a feasibility study through Fresno State University’s California Water Institute to get a first glimpse of what it would take to have the small systems folded into the City of Fresno’s much larger drinking water system.

The state paid $90,000 for the study, which was completed in 2020.

This first step allows “…the State Water Board to provide meaningful information to small water systems so that they can make informed discussions if they want to move forward or not,” wrote a State Water Board spokesperson in an email.

Systems Service Mobile Homes, Schools, and Others

The systems studied include Del Oro Water Company-Metro District; Elm Court Community; Country View Alzheimer Center; Sunnyside Convalescent Hospital; Sunset West Community; the Green Acres, New Horizons, Woodward Bluffs and Three Palms mobile home parks; and Roosevelt, Lone Star, and Madison elementary schools.

The state Water Board chose Fresno for the study because the city has expressed willingness to consolidate disadvantaged systems, according to the state Water Board spokesperson. It has also conducted a study in the Coachella Valley and plans to target more areas throughout the state where there are opportunities for consolidation.

The Fresno systems are all disadvantaged and suffer from a variety of water problems. One of the major problems is that most of the systems only have one well and no backup water source.

“If you are on a private well and the electricity goes out, how are you going to pump water from your well?” said Laura Ramos from the California Water Institute. “Or if there is a contamination plume that is above the recommended levels, what is your backup source of potable water?”

“If you are on a private well and the electricity goes out, how are you going to pump water from your well? Or if there is a contamination plume that is above the recommended levels, what is your backup source of potable water?” — Laura Ramos, California Water Institute

The study analyzed each system and looked at whether it was technically and financially feasible for the systems to consolidate with Fresno.

There was a long list of considerations for each system, said Ramos. Researchers had to look at how close each system was to a water main, where existing pipes were, how many people are served by each system, piping costs, annual and monthly costs, and future city growth.

Feasible for All 12 Systems to Consolidate With City

The study found that all 12 systems could consolidate with Fresno and that the state Water Board has enough money in planning and construction grants to fund all of the consolidations.

That opened the door for outreach to the 12 communities.

Fresno State, the state Water Board, the city of Fresno, and Self-Help Enterprises, all started reaching out to the 12 communities after the study was completed.

“We wanted to make sure that they had all of their questions answered,” said Ramos. “We wanted to make sure that they understood the process, they understood the potential funding available.”

Nine of the communities have decided to pursue consolidation. Country View Alzheimer Center, Sunnyside Convalescent Hospital, and Sunset West Community are not participating.

Of the participating systems, most don’t have pressing concerns now but want to consolidate for stability in the long term. While the 12 communities haven’t seen wells go dry, nobody knows if their wells will remain stable.

“Are they going to be deep enough 20 years from now?” asked Self-Help Enterprise’s Ruiz.

Self-Help Enterprises Helping the Water Systems

Self-Help Enterprises, which partners with the state and administers support in disadvantaged communities throughout the Central Valley, is helping to shepherd any willing systems through the consolidation process.

One of the communities, the Three Palms Mobile Home Park, had already started the consolidation process with Self-Help Enterprises in 2019 before it was included in the study and has submitted its funding application. But even though it started earlier than the others, it’s still years away from completion.

Ruiz said it can take up to a year and a half to prepare the funding application. Then it can take over a year to get approval from the state for funding. After that, it can take a few more months to start construction. Ultimately, consolidations usually take multiple years to complete, said Ruiz.

If the consolidations are approved and funded by the state, the city will be responsible for oversight of the money.

City of Fresno Backs Consolidation

The city encourages consolidation, wrote Michael Carbajal, director of public utilities for Fresno, in an email. And, it has taken the projects into consideration in its plans.

“The City has previously made investments and plans to make more investments to secure the City’s water supply with these consolidations in mind along with anticipated growth,” wrote Carbajal.

The eight systems that haven’t submitted their applications yet are almost finished and will probably apply for funding within the next few weeks, Carbajal added.

In addition to the communities included in the state study, Fresno is pursuing consolidation with three other disadvantaged communities and will continue to seek out more, Carbajal said.

About SJV Water

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. 

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

FresYes Fest Is Saturday: This Immigrant Is Living the American Dream With Xtreme Shawarma

DON'T MISS

Records Show That Valley Children’s Leader Suntrapak’s Pay Exceeds $5 Million

DON'T MISS

3 Valley Schools Honored by State as Model Community Day Schools

DON'T MISS

Will FUSD Trustees Look First Only at Internal Candidates in Superintendent Search?

DON'T MISS

Fresno Bank Sued. It Allegedly Helped Bitwise Commit Fraud.

DON'T MISS

How California’s Prized Solution for Methane Gas Is Backfiring on Farmers

DON'T MISS

Bredefeld, Chavez Win Attorneys Fees from Fresno County. Court Gives Chavez Blvd. a Green Light.

DON'T MISS

Trump’s Lawyers Say It Is Impossible for Him to Post Bond Covering $454 Million Civil Fraud Judgment

DON'T MISS

Special Congressional Election Tuesday. How Many Have Voted Already?

DON'T MISS

Brothers Say They Found Amelia Earhart’s Plane, Will Donate It to Smithsonian

No data was found

The 49ers Have Been Docked a 2025 Fifth-Round Draft Pick for an Accounting Error

3 hours ago

Fresno Bank Sued. It Allegedly Helped Bitwise Commit Fraud.

bitwise /

3 hours ago

How California’s Prized Solution for Methane Gas Is Backfiring on Farmers

environment /

6 hours ago

Supreme Court Seems Favorable to Biden Administration Over Efforts to Combat Social Media Posts

6 hours ago

Putin Extends Rule in Preordained Russian Election After Harshest Crackdown Since Soviet Era

6 hours ago

Ohtani to Begin Throwing Program Soon. Roberts Hints Dodgers Star Might Play in the Field

7 hours ago

Trump: Some Migrants Are ‘Not People’, There’ll Be a ‘Bloodbath’ if I Lose

7 hours ago

Tech Lawyer and Philanthropist Nicole Shanahan Rumored as RFK Jr.’s VP Pick

news /

7 hours ago

March Madness is Here. UConn, Purdue, Houston and North Carolina Get Top Seeding in NCAA Tournament

7 hours ago

Crafts Retailer Joann Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy as Consumers Cut Back on Pandemic-Era Hobbies

8 hours ago

Records Show That Valley Children’s Leader Suntrapak’s Pay Exceeds $5 Million

■Valley Children’s paid CEO Todd Suntrapak $5.2 million in 2021. The hospital also gave him a $5 million forgivable home loan. ■The Va...
Healthcare /

2 hours ago

3 days ago

Realtor Association Settles Lawsuit on Commission Rules. Fresno Broker Fears the End of Market Transparency

3 days ago

Prosecutor Leaves Georgia Election Case Against Trump After Relationship With District Attorney

3 days ago

Rory McIlroy’s 65: 10 Birdies, 2 Tee Shots in the Water, 1 Testy Dispute

3 days ago

Aaron Donald Announces His Retirement After a Standout 10-Year Career With the Rams

3 days ago

New Book Explores the Myths, Truths and Legacy of the Macho Man

3 days ago

Baseball Superstar Ohtani and His Wife Arrive in South Korea for Dodgers-Padres MLB Opener

3 days ago

India’s New Citizenship Law Excludes Muslims. Here’s What to Know

3 days ago

US, G-7 Allies Warn Iran to Back Off Deal to Provide Russia Ballistic Missiles or Face New Sanctions

Photo of San Francisco 49ers' Arik Armstead

3 days ago

Former 49ers DT Arik Armstead Agrees to a 3-Year, $51 Million Deal with the Jaguars, AP Source Says

3 days ago

Supreme Court Rules Public Officials Can Sometimes Be Sued for Blocking Critics on Social Media

Search