Rural Residents Denied Water Access

Some homeowners in a rural area outside of Clayton will not be getting access to a water pipeline that will be running right past their homes.

The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors on Tuesday overturned a planning commission decision that required the Contra Costa Water District to allow the 14 homeowners in the region to tap into the new pipeline.

The pipe will run three miles from a water district pipeline and provide potable water to the Clayton Regency Mobile Home Park, a settlement with 280 residents about seven miles southeast of Clayton.

Supervisor Mary Piepho said the overriding issue for the board was to resolve a public health emergency declared four years ago at the mobile home park.

Piepho also told the homeowners they have the right to petition the water district to get water service.

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff criticized the planning commission for amending an agreement and adding conditions.

"I think the planning commission far exceeded their authority," she said.

During the hearing, the people who live along that portion of Marsh Creek Road said they felt they were being denied a basic right.

"We appreciate the fact you've been willing to listen to us, but I hope you hear us this time," said Ric Schiff, who has lived in the region for two decades. "We were promised water and you know that."

The issue has been brewing since 2007 when a public health emergency was declared at the mobile home park.

Since then, water has been trucked in and stored in two 63,900-gallon tanks at the mobile home park.

In 2009, county officials, the mobile home park and the water district came to an agreement to build a 4-inch pipeline from a water district pipeline three miles away to the mobile home park.

However, residents of the 14 homes between the main pipeline and the mobile home park petitioned the county, asked to be able to tap into that new line. At the moment, they have no access to CCWD water.

Their request was denied and the homeowners appealed to the Contra Costa Planning Commission. In June, the commission agreed with the residents.

They said the agreement should be amended to make the new pipeline wider and make it available to the homeowners.

The mobile home park appealed that decision to the supervisors. So did Save Mount Diablo, which opposes any pipeline in that rural area.

County planners told the supervisors Tuesday they agreed with the mobile home park owners. Principal Planner Patrick Roche said the new pipe would increase costs and place an "unreasonable burden" on the 192-space mobile home park.

Dr. Wendel Brunner, the county's public health director, said if an adequate water system cannot be provided to the mobile homes, the park would need to be shut down and the residents would have to be evicted.

Seth Adams of Save Mount Diablo said they're concerned a larger pipeline would encourage more development in the region.

"A pipeline would be a growth inducer in what is a sensitive area," Adams said.

Schiff disputed that claim, saying a larger pipeline on a rural road would not automatically encourage development. He noted county officials must approve any development plans in that area.

"All you're doing is denying us water," said Schiff.

The Marsh Creek Road residents also said they have been excluded from the negotiations over the water pipeline.

They also questioned why no fire hydrants were being added along the new pipeline since the region is a high fire danger area.

Some of them promised to continue to fight for their water rights.

"We are not rolling over and we are not going away," said Harry Williamson, a resident of the region since 1973.

The mobile home park residents, on the other hand, were delighted.

"They're wonderful people," said Karri Landers, the property manager at the mobile home park, "and they deserve to get this water."