New water supply available for rural neighborhoods off Fairview Road

This article was written by BenitoLink intern Ariana Rivera. Lea este artículo en español aquí.

After years of relying on imported and bottled drinking water, residents in two subdivisions just outside Hollister have direct access to clean water.

As of July, residents of the Heatherwood Estates and Foxhill subdivisions are receiving water from the Sunnyslope Water District after a two-year, $3.5 million water tank and pipeline project was completed.

Sunnyslope Water District annexed the neighborhoods previously served by the Best Roads Mutual Water Company by extending its existing waterline under John Smith Road. 

In a news release, the California Department of Water Resources, which gave the project $2.2 million, said the money would be used to construct a new water tank and consolidate its water system with the Sunnyslope Water District. 

Although Sunnyslope Water District was able to avoid environmental review by cutting into the John Smith Road asphalt, the original plan was for the water line to pass on the outside of the road. The change in design cost about $400,000 more than originally estimated.

Sunnyslope Water District General Manager Drew Lander said that his team had to estimate the cost of the project before they designed it, and that’s what the $2.2 million grant was based on. Lander said the district kept as close as possible to that estimate and submitted a request to the state to cover the additional cost.

In all, 48 residences in those communities have been relying on imported and bottled water since their water wells’ quality and supply were deemed unhealthy back in 2022. BenitoLink interviewed frustrated residents, disappointed with their water quality and the amount of time they were expected to wait for a solution.

The Best Roads Mutual Water Company had two wells servicing the communities. One well was shut down, while the other was contaminated with E. coli, high levels of arsenic, as well as manganese and chlorine, which was used to kill the E. coli.

Residents in the area had suggested the nearby John Smith landfill may have contributed to their water contamination issues.

Foxhill Circle resident Paul Levy said that because of the contaminated water he purchased a Zero Water pitcher for his home, which filters water to drinking water standards.

“We’ve been running in the 500, 600, even up to 700 [total dissolved solids milligram per liter or mg/L], which is very, very bad,” he said. “That’s why we’ve been using bottled water.”

With the new connection to Sunnyslope Water District, the meter now reads about 200 mg/L, Levy said.

Water rates for the new customers will match the rest of the district and will be similar to what they are paying now, according to Lander.

The grant the district received allowed the project cost to fit within Sunnyslope Water District’s budget. Therefore, the consolidation comes at no extra cost to customers.

Lander said that consolidation has a positive impact on water quality, as Sunnyslope’s wells are much better than what the residents are currently connected to.

In addition, the Sunnyslope Water District has spent about $1 million to improve its wells and pipelines, which is intended to benefit the district’s existing customers and facilitate the new connection.

Lander said that without investing in upgrades, the subdivisions might not have been able to connect at all, noting that the connection also benefits the environment.

“By adding them to the water district, they become partners in the area,” Landers said. “We’re all going to partner together in water conservation and quality when need be.”

Without Sunnyslope’s involvement, Lander said that residents in those subdivisions might have been in trouble with the state.

Lander said that in the last couple of years, residents of these areas received several water violations and boil water notices from the California Department of Water Resources, plus a pending fine of up to $2 million if they didn’t solve the problem by this year.

“We are responsive to our regulatory agencies, who asked us to find a solution,” Lander said. “We are happy to partner with the county and be a solution-based public utility, willing to provide excellent service to the community.”

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