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3000 gallon water tank in driveway |
Concerned Citizen
KGUN 9 On Your Side
As the water table drops due to farming and the drought, wells continue to dry up in our area. The need for assistance to low income, fixed income and elderly people increases. It is apparent to this citizen that well drilling companies and our specific Sunsites Water Company (Clear Springs Water Company) do not have the best interest of people in mind.
I know of several people who live at the base of the Dragoon Mountains and in the Richland area that must haul water because they cannot afford the outrageous cost to deepen their wells. Even to just drill 100 feet can cost upward of 14K. That is if they have 8” piping from the initial drilling; if their piping is 6” the cost is considerably higher. Many of these are families and senior citizens who would not be able to raise that kind of money through loans or any other means.
But I am writing to you because I am very close to an elderly couple in the Sunsites community that is facing this same situation. After looking at drilling (14K) or hooking up to the local water company (which only requires 600’ of pipeline to their property at a projected cost of 40K) hauling water or moving is their only choice. They purchased this home to spend the rest of their life in and to move would devastate them. It would be a travesty for them to have to give up their home because of the greed of the local water company and drilling companies. Hauling their water appears to be their only viable option. That means they will have to purchase a truck/trailer and a 500 gallon water tank. Keep in mind these people are in their 70’s and will have to hire the water brought into them at some point.
Clear Springs Water Company refuses to supply them with a written estimate explaining the 40K and has basically told them that unless they can come up with that amount of money they will not hook them up. This is unconscionable! To charge this kind of money and refuse to provide service or even an itemized estimate to people is simply not acceptable! It would be a simple matter for them to hook them up to their system because the house next door to them is already on their system. Yes they would have to extend their pipeline, but only about 600’. Clear Springs Water Company should be ashamed of themselves. Those charges are outrageous! Candidate for our district Supervisor Linda Nunez, is assisting me with finding answers and options. I commend her on her commitment to help individuals in her district. I am asking you to play a large part in forcing Clear Springs Water Company to serve the community by providing affordable water installation and monthly costs.
It has also come to my attention that Clear Springs Water Company’s 56% rate increase across the board for the Sunsites area has been shot down by the ACC. It appears these people don’t know where to draw the line on their greed! A monster has been created and we must slay it before people begin dyeing due to dehydration. I implore you to investigate this and assist us to bring about legislation that will prevent this type of holding the public hostage through water. Water is a basic need that every individual is entitled to; because of this they appear to think they can charge whatever they want. This reminds me of the robber barons of yester-year. We want to force Clear Springs to do the right thing and hook up 316 W Geneva, Sunsites, AZ 85625 to their system at a reasonable cost. We also want to force them to update their leaky water lines which have not been updated in several years and are at a 42% water loss. Please help us!
With Sincere Concern,
Rose Byerly
