SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A scathing report from the Sacramento County Grand Jury says a water district in the Arden-Arcade area is flooded with public safety dangers and needs to make $35 million in repairs.
It's happening in the Del Paso Manor Water District which serves about 1,900 customers in a one-square-mile district. The district is in the area of Watt and El Camino Avenues.
The grand jury alleges the water district of repeatedly failing to address capital improvement projects to fix aging pipes and wells that were originally installed in the '50s. Right now, drinking water is being supplied almost entirely by just two of the district's eight wells.
There's something about polishing off a fresh glass of cold water that some, may take for granted. Fazil Haidari, owner of Nobby's Phone Repair said at his business, he doesn't have that luxury.
"I don't feel safe at all to drink it and not even use it, look at it," Haidari said.
Haidari's phone repair business is just one of 1,900 customers in the Del Paso Manor Water District.
"And it never changes, it's the same color, we've been here for eight months and this water has been like this," he said.
The report didn't cite specific water quality concerns but an overall reckless and irresponsible management.
Rich Desmond, a Sacramento County Supervisor representing District 3 told ABC10 he's very concerned with the Del Paso Manor Water District.
"Historically that's been the case, right, the burden is placed on the ratepayers," Desmond said. "I think one of the challenges here is that some of these facilities, the rates have not kept pace with the maintenance needs."
This comes after four General Managers resigned in the past two years and more than half of the elected board of directors resigned without notice in September.
Desmond says this will go to the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission, which he's a member of, for further review on December 1.
But until then, Haidiri will be sticking to bottled water instead.
"I hope they fix it," he said. "Because we're paying for it"
The Del Paso Manor Water District released a statement saying:
"On behalf of the Del Paso Manor Water District Board of Directors and Staff, we take very seriously the findings and recommendations made by the Grand Jury. The District has a new Board of Directors and a new General Manager and we will address these findings and recommendations with full transparency and integrity. This new team is and will continue to comply with the Brown Act and appropriate governance. We will respond to the Grand Jury and to the Honorable Russell L. Hom, Presiding Judge, Sacramento Superior Court, in due accordance with the timeline established in the report."
Click here to read the full report.
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