SANGER – The unincorporated community of Tombstone Territory is one step closer to having fresh, clean water flowing through its homes now that construction on a water system consolidation project has begun.
Representatives from the city of Sanger, the State Water Resources Control Board and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) joined regional drinking water advocates and Tombstone residents on May 13 to celebrate the occasion with a groundbreaking ceremony in Tombstone. Fully funded by the state, the consolidation project will connect Tombstone to Sanger water.
“Where you live should not determine whether your water is safe,” State Sen. Melissa Hurtado said in a press release. “Too many communities, especially in the Valley, are still dependent on bottled water or deliveries by truck. Tombstone’s milestone proves that when we act with urgency, we can fix what’s broken.”
Tombstone is one of many unincorporated and underserved communities in California that has not had access to clean drinking water for years due to its reliance on domestic wells that have run dry or been contaminated. By connecting the households in Tombstone to Sanger’s municipal water system, Tombstone residents will no longer need to store their water in tanks in their backyards or worry about where it is coming from.
This connection is made possible through $1 million from the state’s general fund that Hurtado — who formerly served on the Sanger City Council — helped secure as a senator and a $4 million grant awarded through California Proposition 68.
According to a May 13 press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, the city of Sanger played a critical role in the consolidation process, “embracing the opportunity to extend its services to Tombstone from the beginning.” It was the city that applied for the grant funding and helped with the project design. The press release said Sanger also waived surcharges usually imposed on customers outside its service area.
“It was easy to recognize the need, so we felt ensuring our neighbors had reliable access to safe drinking water was the only choice,” City Manager Nathan Olson said in the press release. “I am so pleased to see all the planning and hard work come to fruition, making the project a success and improving the lives of our communities for generations to come.”
On April 17, the Sanger City Council unanimously awarded a more than $3 million contract to West Valley Construction Company for work on the consolidation project, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
According to a staff report prepared by the city of Sanger, the project will involve extending the water main lines from Sanger to Tombstone along Greenwood Avenue and Central Avenue. Tombstone residents who sign extraterritorial service agreements with the city, agreeing to become new water customers of the city, will receive water meters and metered services.
Sanger will be responsible for the ownership and maintenance of all water facilities in Tombstone and new customers will pay their water bills through the city just like Sanger residents. The project will also install new fire hydrants along the new water lines.
Beyond funding for the consolidation project, Sanger also received a zero-interest loan from the State Water Board for approximately $5 million. This will allow the city to construct a new well, Well 19, to bolster its water supply both for the consolidation project and future growth of the city itself. The loan came with the potential for grant funding dependent on the number of households connected to the city’s water service through the consolidation project.
Self-Help Enterprises and the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability have been advocating for water access to Tombstone since 2019.
“When I served on the Sanger City Council, I saw firsthand the urgent need for clean water solutions in Tombstone,” Hurtado said. “In the Senate, I made it my mission to deliver them — because every Californian deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water, no matter their zip code. I’m proud this day has come and that the families of Tombstone are finally getting the water they deserve.”
