Wells open, water flowing in Lucerne Valley

County, CHP, community team up to streamline the process

by Ryan Orr
Victorville Daily Press [Victorville, CA]

LUCERNE VALLEY — The Lucerne Valley residents in the most dire need of water finally started getting it delivered Thursday.

Five water trucks sent by the San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services were sanitized and delivering water by noon Thursday free of charge, said David Zook, spokesman for 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt.

As of Thursday night, two more were on their way. The California Highway Patrol is working with water haulers that were shut down last week, to streamline the process of getting the proper licenses to get back on the road, said Officer Jeff Perez of the CHP Victorville station.

The water haulers who are not yet able to operate were riding with the drivers of the county trucks to direct them to residents in need, said Chuck Bell, secretary for the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association.

The county sent out two messages using their Telephone Emergency Notification System, calling all resident in Lucerne to tell them about the situation and where to go for water. It is only the second time the system has been used in the High Desert.

Stater Bros., Sparkletts and Lucerne Valley Market/Hardware all donated bottles of water to the community that were loaded into residents’ vehicles with the help of the Lucerne Valley High School football team.

The county has sent about 1,000 gallons of bottled water to the community and made the county fire department’s water tender available for evaporative coolers and livestock.

“What’s amazing here is how the town has really pulled together,” said Bell. “The citizens have demanded help and it’s happening.”

Zook said that he had contacted the County Economic Development Agency to see about getting small-business loans to help water haulers get the proper licenses.

Last week, a joint enforcement action between the CHP and the state Department of Health, shut down the majority of water haulers in the area for not being properly permitted or transporting unsanitary water.

As of Thursday, Lucerne had five wells open including one at the high school, Lucerne Valley Market/Hardware and one that the county opened up in Midway Park.

“It’s not back to normal,” said Linda Gommel, who works at the hardware store. “The bureaucrats are taking over.”

Mitzelfelt said he will be in Lucerne Valley today to assess the situation and spoke about it Thursday at a countywide water conference in Ontario.

“Their situation was an artificially created crisis,” Mitzelfelt said. “By shutting down a few unlicensed haulers, they created a chilling effect preventing other haulers from coming in.”

Chuck Bell said the community was having a meeting Thursday night to update residents on the situation.

“Normal is going to be a while,” Bell said. “But we’re getting a handle on it.”

Water Haulers Shut Down

Lucerne Valley Residents Left With No Warning

By Ryan Orr
Daily Press [Victorville, Calif.]

LUCERNE VALLEY -- The California Highway Patrol began impounding water haulers in Lucerne Valley Friday without giving notice to residents who depend on the service.

"All we know is what people are telling us," said Linda Gommel, who runs Lucerne Valley Market/Hardware. "Hundreds of residents are affected by the shutdown of our water haulers.

First District County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said that he learned what was happening late Friday night and was never notified that water haulers would be shut down.

He said he is sitting down with his staff first thing this morning to get to the bottom of the problem.

"The county was not brought into the loop on whoever is doing this," said David Wert, county spokesman. "It's very unusual. When people have problems like this, they depend on the county for help and information."

Rhonda More said she had nine loads of water to deliver Friday when she got the call that other providers were being shut down. More, who owns #1 More Water Service, said she has over 100 customers. She was told that she cannot do business until she gets a carrier's license and alters her truck to allow potable water only.

"I didn't know I needed a carrier's license," said More, who has been in business a little over a year.

Wert said that the CHP was under direction from the Environmental Protection Agency to keep all water haulers out of Lucerne Valley that were unlicensed.

Wert said that he doesn't know if it's the state or federal EPA, but that there is one water hauler that is licensed in Lucerne Valley that can still provide the service.

"Water haulers have been delivering water to residents for decades with no problems reported, no sickness," Gommel said. "The county health people are around lots and haven't interfered. Out of the blue this becomes acceptable?

More said that there are six water hauling companies, and the ones that were shut down were all due to various licensing or permitting issues.

More said that she received over 150 calls Sunday from people concerned about the water problem.

"It was just terrible," More said.

Gommel said that most people that use hauled water have it delivered on a weekly basis.

"This is the biggest bureaucratic screw-up that I've seen up here in a long time," said Chuck Bell, secretary for the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association. He said that the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the association has been completely altered to focus on the subject of water haulers.

Bell said that the association will recommend the water haulers be allowed to continue to operate and give them six months to comply with any license or certification issues.

"This is the middle of summer for God sakes," Bell said.

Wert said that Mitzelfelt's office is doing its best to get answers from various agencies, but as of Sunday night Lucerne Valley residents and county officials were left with nothing but questions.