Drought relief for Cantua Creek residents

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Immediate drought relief is coming to residents of Cantua Creek. The Board of Supervisors approved accepting a state grant for $120,000 to pay the communities back water bill.

Supervisor Brian Pacheco represents the area and notes the county had to fight to get the money after declaring a drought emergency.

Pacheco said, "Once the county declared the emergency drought resolution the county staff has again applied for an emergency grant, and unlike the last two times the state department of water resources actually granted the grant this time."

The residents of Cantua Creek and other small west side communities were hard hit when the water they obtain from the Westlands water district nearly quadrupled in price, from around $300 an acre foot to more than $1100. Without the payment water to the community of about 300 people would have been shut off in mid-May.

Pacheco explained, "It is not a long term solution it simply helps, and again in a few months if the water price does not come down we could be in the same situation."

The county is working on a new water system to ease the situation.

In other action, the county accepted help from the State Department of Emergency Services. The agency will fund the installation of water tanks and piping to Fresno County homes where water wells have gone dry. Dozens of homes may qualify. The priority is to help residents who are without water while waiting for a new well, but the details of who qualifies won't be available for a couple of weeks. The program will be run by the nonprofit group Self Help Enterprises, in Visalia. They are doing similar relief programs in Tulare and Mariposa Counties.