CBS47 Investigates: Pool Water Restrictions in Madera County

CBS47 Eyewitness News Investigates pool water restrictions in Madera County.  Some Madera County residents are now banned from filling up their pools with county water.  Another concern is where is the alternative water is coming from?  In some cases, it’s taken from one county and brought to another, raising the question of fairness at a time when all counties and cities are required to conserve.

A Madera County backyard will soon be home to a brand new, 20,000 gallon swimming pool.

Homeowner Amy Thomas says, "We figured it would be better to dig the pool and do it sooner rather than later, because of the water restrictions in the county."
 
The waster restrictions don’t affect Thomas, because her water comes from a private well.  But, in four districts of Madera County, including Madera Ranchos, Fairmead and Parkwood, officials say pools are not allowed to be filled with county maintained water.

Madera County public utilities director Johannes Hoevertsz says, "Our priority is to keep the water running for indoor uses; showers, cooking washing clothes and drinking."

Hoevertzs says violators would face a first time fine of $ 75.  That’s pennies compared to the thousands of dollars needed to truck in water from an outside source, which is their only other option.

We called a few water hauling companies in the valley. Some said they won’t haul water from one county to another, but others said they will.

Unidentified water hauler says, "It’s just been harder and harder and harder to find water to sell."

This man was the only water hauler who was willing to do an interview, although he still asked to remain anonymous.  He says he mostly fills storage tanks for wells that have gone dry, but fills the occasional pool.  He’s had several private water contracts in his nine years of business; most recently at a privately owned well, where just last year he bought $ 25,000 worth of water.
He says he was cut off from that well after people in the community raised concerns about him taking water to customers outside of the county.

"I wouldn’t think I was doing anything wrong.  I would think it would be beneficial it was helping those people.  I feel like I’m the bad guy because I’m bringing them water."

He now uses water from Clovis.  He bought a meter and is allowed to pull from fire hydrants.  The city had no idea meter users were taking water elsewhere, until CBS47 Eyewitness News pointed it out.

Clovis assistant public utilities director Lisa Koehn says, "What we’re going to start doing is asking every month when we do the meter readings is asking them how much water was used in Clovis and how much was used outside of Clovis.

The water hauler says if any more water rules are put in place, he’ll go out of business."

"It’s sad for me.  It’s sad for the people I deliver water to.  It’s sad that people have to fight over it."
 
Fresno County does have regulations in place that require a permit to move water out of the county, even through a private well.

Fresno County pool builder bob Waterston says he worries that more water restrictions may be on the way, and says it could shut down the entire pool industry.  He says he recommends anyone wanting to build a pool, to do it quickly.