The State Water Resources Control Board has appointed Tulare County’s Resource Management Agency as the temporary wastewater administrator for the East Orosi Community Services District, marking the first time the board has exercised new powers granted under Assembly Bill 805 since the legislation was signed into law last year.
The county will take control of operations for the failing sewer system, which serves about 100 households in the small, unincorporated community. The action comes after more than a decade of chronic service failures, including raw sewage discharges, broken plumbing and financial mismanagement by the local board.
The state water board will fund the administrator role with $388,000 drawn from the state’s Cleanup and Abatement Account, a special fund supported by fines and penalties collected for water quality violations. The money will cover one year of county oversight, with additional technical assistance provided through separate contracts.
“This appointment is another milestone in the board’s ongoing efforts to ensure that all residents, particularly in underserved rural areas, have access to clean, safe, and affordable water for drinking, cooking and sanitation,” said Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the water board, in a statement.
Years of neglect lead to state intervention
Residents in East Orosi have lived with frequent sewage overflows and system backups, and repeated attempts to improve the system through grants and compliance orders have not solved the problem. County officials say they will begin by stabilizing operations, assessing the full extent of the infrastructure needs, and restarting billing and maintenance services.
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Tulare County Supervisor Eddie Valero welcomed the support, saying the intervention was necessary to protect public health.
“Tulare County stands ready to remedy obstacles, provide transparent management of the sewer system and work towards a long-term solution for the community,” he said.
Broader Push for Wastewater Equity
The action in East Orosi is part of a larger statewide effort to address failing wastewater systems in rural communities. The water board has identified dozens of similar systems lacking the capacity to comply with basic health and environmental standards.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 805 to authorize the board to step in with mandatory administrative actions. The law mirrors earlier efforts on drinking water systems and reflects a growing emphasis on sanitation equity.
State officials say more interventions are likely as the board continues to assess wastewater needs across the Central Valley and beyond.
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