East Orosi’s Long Struggle for Water (part 2): The Role of Community Utility Districts

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In part 1 of our series on water in the Central Valley of California we visited a town called East Orosi, which has been fighting for clean water for over 20 years. This week we turn our attention to their sewage system, which is also falling apart. Why has it been so difficult for East Orosi to get clean drinking water and fix its sewage problems?

To answer that question we take a look at the entities that run things like sewage and water in unincorporated towns all across California. They’re called Community Utility Districts. Community Utility Districts are often one of the only forms of self governance in unincorporated towns. But they’re staffed by volunteers, they’re underfunded, and they’re trying to share a vital resource, water, which is also slowly disappearing in the San Joaquin Valley.

We talk about the problems with Community Utility Districts and ways to save them.

GUESTS:

Berta Diaz Ochoa – community member of East Orosi
Janaki Anagha – Director of Advocacy, Community Water Center
Kayla Vander Schuur – Community Development Specialist, Self Help Enterprises
Carlos Sanchez – board member of the East Orosi Community Utilities District
Maricela Mares-Alatorre – Community Solutions Advocate, Community Water Center

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