East Orosi Residents Demand Action from Local Board
For Immediate Release
September 1, 2023
Contact:
Maraid Jimenez, Community Water Center, (559) 809-7646, maraid.jimenez@communitywatercenter.org
East Orosi Residents Demand Action from Local Board
EAST OROSI, Calif. — Yesterday, Vecinos Unidos submitted a petition to their local water board with over 140 signatures (in a community of 600) who refuse to continue paying for wastewater services they don’t receive due to staff mismanagement. Residents demand East Orosi Community Services District (CSD) take action by the end of the month to remove the liable staff member as a crucial step to restore transparency and ensure needed wastewater projects can continue.
Residents have been demanding billing transparency and adequate wastewater services for years. All other avenues for action have been exhausted to gain insight into the insolvent District’s management of ratepayer funds.
“We are tired of having to pay for two bills, and we want to make sure we are paying for the right service. We are tired of having to deal with bad services here. We have been dealing with this for decades. It’s time for justice in this community. We have nothing against the board, we just want to ensure they do their job,“ says Bertha Diaz Ochoa, leader of Vecinos Unidos and East Orosi resident.
Last year, Tulare County took over administration for drinking water billing, giving community members improved access to payments and clear accounts. However, they refuse to do the same for wastewater services citing irregularities with funds and concerns over EOCSD staff.
“The residents of East Orosi deserve a system that works for them, not against. With over 10 years of failed infrastructure and poor management, our residents can’t wait any longer,” says Eddie Valero, Tulare County Supervisor, District 4. “A new direction is needed now, and this community is taking active measures to make that happen. I join them in their call for action.”
“We have stood alongside Vecinos Unidos for 17 years in their struggle for safe water and services. For years, residents in this community have struggled with bill collections staff that have not delivered services despite residents paying a monthly bill,” says Janaki Anagha, Director of Community Advocacy at Community Water Center. “We stand alongside residents in calling for the EOCSD to remove any staff causing injustice by the end of September 2023.”
The rate strike will continue as residents push their publicly elected board to use their authority to remove any staff standing in the way of providing basic services. East Orosi is demanding justice and will not stop until they receive it.
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Community Water Center (CWC) works to ensure that all communities have reliable access to safe, clean, and affordable water. Founded in 2006, CWC is a not-for-profit environmental justice organization, whose mission is to act as a catalyst for community-driven water solutions through education, organizing, and advocacy. Web: www.communitywatercenter.org. Twitter: @CWaterC Facebook: @CommunityWaterCenter
Vecinos Unidos (Neighbors United) is a community-based organization, bringing together leaders from East Orosi, Orosi and Cutler who advocate for safe, affordable and reliable water and wastewater solutions.
