National Drought Mitigation Center
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Water waste in Visalia, California irritated city officials, residents
11/26/2014 12:36:22 PM



CATEGORIES:
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Visalia, CA

Start Date: 11/19/2014 -  
Visalia officials and residents were irritated by the release of 540,000 gallons of water into a street gutter at a time when city residents were striving to save water during drought. California Water Service and two governmental agencies were searching for the source of chemical contamination in a well in southwest Visalia. City officials were displeased because they were not informed of the plan to dump the water and such blatant water waste was offensive to residents. The Visalia mayor pointed out that wells in two subdivisions were going dry, and the governor has asked Californians to reduce water use by 20 percent, but a state agency chose to waste water. In addition, permission to pour such a quantity of water into the city’s sewer system was refused. A California Water Service supervisor asserted that he got verbal permission to release the water into the storm drains. Residents also expressed their annoyance at the water waste. The Fresno Bee (Calif.), Nov. 25, 2014
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