Where:  Lake Don Pedro, California

Problem: California’s drought impacts small water systems

Solution: Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) helped the small water system assess financing eligibility to secure new water supplies amidst a drought.

Lake Don Pedro is a community near the Don Pedro reservoir in Tuolumne County, California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,765. Lake Don Pedro Community Services District (LDPCSD) does not have enough water due to the drought in 2011-2016 and ongoing drought conditions in California.

While the system managed to drill emergency groundwater wells to shore up the community’s water supply, its location in hard rock and undefined aquifers makes water reliability for the LDPCSD customers uncertain. So LDPCSD is looking for funds to develop a long-term source to ensure an adequate quantity of water for the community.

To determine financing eligibility for LDPCSD, Rural Development Specialist (RDS) Samantha van Breukelen conducted a Median Household Income survey, which determined that the community qualifies as a disadvantaged system and is eligible for State Water Resources Control Board zero-interest loans and grants. LDPCSD is now working to determine its next steps needed to secure new water supplies.