Recent Accomplishments

After just three years, CWC has become a source of drinking water expertise and a center for community water organizing in Tulare County. Here are some of out accomplishments from our first several years:

CWC empowered and supported hundreds of grassroots activists and youth, from 22 communities in Tulare, Fresno and Kings Counties to address drinking water challenges in local communities; including: Alpaugh, Cutler, Ducor, Earlimart, East Orosi, Lamont, Las Deltas, Lindsay, Monson, Orosi, Pixley, Plainview, Porterville, Seville, Strathmore, Tonyville, Tooleville, Visalia, West Goshen, Woodlake, Yettum, and Wells Track. For more on these victories and struggles, please visit the Communities page.

Co-Executive Director Susana De Anda was chosen as one of four Petra Fellows for 2009-2010 for her unique contributions to the rights, autonomy and dignity of others.

For three years now, CWC has coordinated monthly AGUA meetings, the coalition of grassroots activists fighting for regional solutions to the drinking water crisis. Visit the AGUA page for more on this amazing coalition.

We have supported the development of AGUA Youth, a group of 11 Tulare County youth residents, ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old, fighting for water justice.

We published the 200 page Guide to Community Drinking Water Advocacy, which combines all of CWC’s expertise, tools, and experiences in a bi-lingual resource for communities fighting for water justice.

With the opening of our second office in a historic house in downtown Visalia, CWC has created a center for community water organizing and advocacy.

We filed a lawsuit on behalf of AGUA against the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board challenging the insufficient water quality permits issued to the 1600 dairies in the Valley.

CWC helped get AGUA member, local community resident, and long-time water activist Sandra Meraz appointed to the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. This appointment marks the first time that a low-income person of color has ever been appointed to this traditionally industry-dominated board.

Co-Executive Director Laurel Firestone continues to advocate for community water needs on the Tulare County Water Commission, which she was appointed to in 2007.