Tuesday, Dec 4 2012 4:13PM
California farmers are disputing the location of a new water well, which may undermine private wells.
Residents of Del Rio, California, are urging officials to reconsider the location of a new well that would provide Modesto residents access to clean
water system services.
Rather than constructing the 250,000-gallon storage tank in Del Rio, farmers are taking legal recourse to have the well constructed in Modesto amid fears that the current site will jeopardize the private wells they rely on for irrigation, according to the Modesto Bee. Modesto is a small community near the more rural Del Rio.
However, the decision regarding the location of the well lies with City Council members in Modesto, not those who will be affected in Del Rio. The newspaper notes that state laws do not prohibit cities from constructing wells outside its own jurisdiction.
"If it's only going to serve people of that area, why in the heck not site it over there?" Gary Darpinian, a farmer who lives outside the city limit, told the paper.
Disputes over access to water are not unique to California, with many other rural counties and towns in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Nevada also launching lawsuits to dictate water usage, mitigate zoning issues and govern water-sharing programs.
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The Modesto Bee