Making Safe Drinking Water a Reality
For Immediate Release
June 6, 2025
Contact:
Maraid Jimenez, Community Water Center, 559-809-7646, maraid.jimenez@communitywatercenter.org
Making Safe Drinking Water a Reality
West Goshen Community Celebrates Groundbreaking to Connect with Cal Water
West Goshen, Calif. — Yesterday, the unincorporated community of West Goshen in Tulare County hit a key milestone to achieve their Human Right to Water by breaking ground on their safe drinking water project. Many families in this area currently rely on drinking water contaminated with concerning levels of contaminants including nitrate, 1,2,3-trichloropropane, and uranium. This is water families need to drink, cook, shower and carry out other everyday tasks. Studies show short and long-term exposure to these contaminants are associated with negative health impacts, even cancer marking this water consolidation project a step towards a healthier community.
“About four years ago, my well went dry so it means everything to be connected and not to have to worry about whether we will have enough water to do laundry, wash dishes and take a shower,” says Darrel Olivera, a West Goshen resident since 1982. “In the last three years we’ve gotten our hopes up and we were disappointed. Now we realize as a community, we have had to overcome a number of obstacles and are now excited to finally be connected.”
In 2021, residents formed the community based organization West Goshen Water for Life. This group actively engaged in advocating for safe and affordable drinking water in their community. Through an alternatives analysis funded by State Water Board technical assistance funding, the community decided that connecting to a safe piped water supply from the California Water Service (Cal Water) Visalia system was the most sustainable long-term drinking water solution. Their efforts to implement that solution were met with collaboration from Tulare County, California Water Service, and funding from the Department of Water Resources through a $3.4 million grant aimed at emergency drought relief.
“We are heartened to see DWR’s Small Community Drought Relief Program provided grant funding for this project to help West Goshen find a permanent solution for its water supply issues,” says Kristin Willet, Senior Engineer Specialist with the Division of Regional Assistance at Department of Water Resources. “This great partnership with the community of West Goshen, Tulare County, and DWR’s South-Central Region Office makes it possible to extend service from Cal Water’s Visalia Service area to provide a deserved and sustainable water source for years to come.”
The State Water Boards were also a critical partner in funding technical assistance for this project through the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund established in 2019 when Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 200 (Sen. Monning) into law. IThe intentional inclusion of community outreach through the SAFER Advisory Group created a space for residents to make a difference by showing how the Water Board can support community-driven drinking water solutions.
“Planning, investment and above all, partnership, is what it takes to bring safe drinking water to the 2% of Californians who still don’t have it,” says State Water Resources Control Board Chair E. Joaquin Esquivel. “It is gratifying to see more projects like West Goshen break ground throughout California as the state hits its stride in expanding access to safe drinking water.”
As a result we are seeing real change take shape for an unincorporated community in an agricultural area of Tulare county. Up to 43 households homes will now be connected to safe drinking water as part of a long term solution, a relief to over 100 residents who have been relying on bottled water. This progress also gives hopes for other communities who are looking towards tools like SAFER to achieve reliable long term solutions.
“No matter how small, the strength of West Goshen has always been its resilience and perseverance,” says Eddie Velero, Tulare County District Four Supervisor. “This community has shown remarkable strength in the face of challenges and for households with dry wells this means renewal, for those worried about contaminants it means safety, for families relying on hauled water, it means stability.”
Yesterday’s success is only possible because of community leadership, political will, regulatory support, and local collaboration. The SAFER Program is critical for communities and local leadership to make progress on the Human Right to Water. We need to keep supporting efforts that make a difference and this means we have to work together for a future where SAFER is available past 2030 and where we remove the artificial funding cap to keep breaking ground on infrastructure projects until all Californians have safe water.
###
Community Water Center (CWC) works to ensure that all communities have reliable access to safe, clean, and affordable water. Founded in 2006, CWC is a not-for-profit environmental justice organization, whose mission is to act as a catalyst for community-driven water solutions through education, organizing, and advocacy.
Web: www.communitywatercenter.org.
Twitter: @CWaterC
Facebook: @CommunityWaterCenter
