Project Status

Community outreach and engagement

Project Background and Area

Residents in the periphery of the City of Porterville depend on domestic wells that may be impacted by contamination or water supply interruptions from declining groundwater levels. There is no public water system serving these areas, and many of these residents need a long-term water solution.CWC identified two domestic well areas as areas based on water quality risk and density of domestic wells to target for initial outreach, consisting of approximately 231 households. The first area has about 151 households and is located immediately northwest of the City of Porterville’s water system. It can be approximately described as the area bounded by the Friant Kern Canal, Ave 178, Orange Belt Dr, Ave 182, and W Castle Ave. 

The second area has around 80 households and is located south of the City of Porterville along S Indiana St, Crawford Ave, Hemlock Ave, and S Prospect St. Due to a planned extension of service by the Porterville Public Water System to Hope Elementary  School, there will be a main line along S Indiana St and Ave 128/W Teapot Dome Ave, making it reasonable to explore consolidation for domestic well households along Crawford Ave, Hemlock Ave, and S Prospect St. 

Community Water Center (CWC) began conducting outreach to domestic well residents in these areas in August 2024 and has supported residents by sharing informational materials about interim resources.CWC has actively engaged with households in both North and South Porterville, holding discussions around potential long-term solutions. Some households have been connected to Tulare Basin Management Zone resources for well testing and bottled water, and others have been identified as having dry wells and connected to resources from Self Help Enterprises. CWC is working to gauge resident interest in long-term solutions, including consolidation with the City of Porterville, and has seen significant interest in the project.

Get Involved

Contact Miguel Rojas-Flores by email miguel.rojas@communitywatercenter.org, or phone at 559-502-1800 with questions related to this project.

Community meetings

CWC has organized a series of community meetings in Southern Porterville to connect with residents and provide information. These gatherings, held at Hope Elementary School, have seen steady participation and have helped build relationships with community members. Looking ahead, CWC plans to expand outreach in Northern Porterville and bring residents together for a larger meeting later in the year to further community engagement.