East Porterville Property Owners Being Urged To Connect To Water System

water

FRESNO (KMJ) – Tulare County officials are urging property owners in East Porterville to connect to the City of Porterville’s water system free of charge.

Eligible property owners will bear none of the connection costs, which could easily exceed $10,000 per property.

The deadline to begin the connection process is no later than March 1, 2017.

After being connected to the City’s water system, property owners will have a utility account and receive a monthly bill from the City of Porterville for their water service.

Forms & information at the following locations:

City Hall – City of Porterville Drought Resource Center

291 N. Main Street 185 S. Leggett Street

(559) 782-7499 (866) 284-5142

Once household connections are available, the County will remove the household water tanks and cease emergency bottled water deliveries, even if property owners have declined to connect through this program.

Those with dry wells who choose to not participate and forgo connections, may be in violation of Health and Safety Code section 17920.3 and are subject to enforcement.

Property owners will incur all costs to bring their properties up to code, and connect to a permanent water source.

Properties without potable water may be ruled unsafe to occupy.

This program is a joint effort by three State agencies – Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, and California Office of Emergency Services – and the local governments of Tulare County and the City of Porterville.

Click below to listen to the story by KMJ’s Liz Kern: