Background

East Orosi is an unincorporated community in Tulare County of about 700 people that has struggled with contaminated groundwater for more than 10 years. The groundwater in the area has nitrate levels that regularly exceed the federal health standard. With the groundwater unsafe to drink, residents, who are mostly low-income, Latino families, rely on bottled drinking water as a temporary measure to have safe water to drink. Some bottled water assistance is being provided, but it's not enough to meet the needs of most families. Because of this, residents in East Orosi have to pay for water twice - once for water from their tap that they cannot drink - and again when they drive long distances to buy jugs of potable water for their families.

With little evidence of progress toward a voluntary consolidation, the State Water Board took important and necessary action and issued a mandatory consolidation order in October 2020, requiring the two districts to get it done by the end of 2024. To help move this solution forward, the State Water Board appointed Tulare County to take over the management of East Orosi CSD's drinking water services. Tulare County officially took over on November 1, 2022. For many years, residents of East Orosi have struggled to pay their water bills due to inadequate management of finances from the East Orosi Community Services District’s general manager, causing residents to receive bills with unexplained charges, lack of payment receipt, or no bill at all. 

In September 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 805 to help bring relief to residents served by failing sewer systems. The law gave the State Water Board authority to appoint an administrator to take on the roles and responsibilities necessary to provide residents with safe and reliable wastewater service. The Board can now begin the process to help East Orosi residents not be at the helm of a failing sewer system. This is a huge win for the community!

The consolidation project still faces local opposition and ongoing delays. CWC is actively engaging in this project by ensuring community engagement to advance the consolidation and ensure that state and local leaders respond appropriately to the continued barriers to participation and the sense of urgency felt by East Orosi residents.