Community of Monson celebrates new water system

MONSON, Calif. (KFSN) -- With the turn of a faucet, the people of Monson finally have safe drinking water, running through their homes.

Monday morning the community celebrated the completion of a new water system and well.

Monson resident Lazara Lala Luengas can now easily wash dishes.

"I would like to do my dishes with hot water, so I would boil my water," said Luengas. "I would take a pot and heat it up to do my dishes and I would do the same to shower."

About four years ago Luengas found out her home had the highest nitrate levels in the entire county. Tulare County supervisor Steve Worthley said this was a caused by the drought.

"When drought came and the water table fell, many of these wells failed with that," said Luengas. "These were poor people who in many cases did not have the funds to go in and re-drill those wells."

Self-Help Enterprises, Tulare County, and many other local organizations worked together to find a long-term solution. The problem was solved when Sultana Board President Michael Prado stepped in to share Sultana's water well.

"I am just happy that the people and our children are going to have safe affordable drinking water, to have flowing out of our their faucets instead of tanks or bottled water," said Prado.

Now a new water system and community well are up and running -- meaning Luengas and others can do something most of us take for granted.

"We had to take little tiny showers and get wet, soap yourself, rinse off, so now I am do for a good long shower," Leungas.

The next step of the project is creating a new well in Sultana that will connect to Monson via pipeline.