Pioneertown residents are frustrated. When citizens hit dead-ends in their dealings with government, they often turn to media in frustration for help. Sometimes we can’t get straight answers when we seek confirmation, or any answers at all. Then we look for other sources, and go with what we’ve got. Reporter Dan Stork says that’s the case with the Pioneertown water situation…
A frustrated Pioneertown resident complained to Z107.7 that a neighbor had obtained a water meter by representing that his property was being rehabilitated in the aftermath of the devastating 2006 Sawtooth fire. She went on to claim that San Bernardino County Special Districts, which is responsible for water service in that area, subsequently decided the neighbor was not eligible for such permission, and acted to rescind it. Purportedly, the County relented when the property owner threatened to sue.
When repeated inquiries by us to County Special Districts about that particular matter, and about the Pioneertown water status in general, went unanswered, we turned to another Pioneertown resident. She wrote us:
“It is hard to get a straight answer out of anyone there if you can reach them. Right now there is a moratorium on new meters but the County is issuing permits for well drilling. We get letters stating that we have to conserve as we have major issues with quantity and quality and we can only water during certain hours. Yet the people who have wells and are drawing water from the same aquifer as the County’s wells do have no restrictions. In fact some go out and water the dirt road in front of their home just to tick the rest of us off. We have brought up this issue with County and they just wring their hands. I am just about to give up any hope of having safe drinking water in the near future. It seems everyone has a say in this project except the people who are going to pay for it and are most affected by it.”
PIONEERTOWN WATER FRUSTRATION: A SPECIAL REPORT
