Kings County groundwater agency issues flurry of well policies, will pay for meters
- Editor’s note: Monserrat Solis covers Kings County water issues for SJV Water through the California Local News Fellowship initiative.
It’s been a busy start to the year for the Southwest Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA), which instituted new well registration and reporting policies over two Fridays after not meeting for six months.
A third meeting has been set for Friday, Feb. 20.
At its Feb. 6 meeting, its second in seven days, the board approved funding to buy and install well meters for its landowners to get the ball rolling on reporting extractions.
It hired Gunther Vecpuisis, an employee of Sandridge Partners, to oversee the project, allocating a budget of $10,000.
“So, you’re in charge and if that’s not enough, we could pay a little more but we’ll start with $10,000,” said Southwest’s chair John Vidovich.
Vidovich controls Sandridge Partners, which also employs or partners with the other two board members on Southwest Kings GSA, Jim Wilson and Craig Andrew.
Landowners will be required to cover maintenance and calibration costs on the meters.
At its Jan. 30 meeting, the board issued a policy requiring all landowners to register wells by Feb. 6, with a 20-day grace period, or face fines of $1,000 per day.
Of the estimated 20 wells in its boundaries, nine have been registered so far.
Southwest has not established an online registration platform and is, instead, asking landowners to call its office at (559) 762-7192 or email info.swkgsa@gmail.com. Or contact its newly appointed general counsel’s office Whitney, Thompson and Jeffcoach Law Firm at 559-753-2550 or info@wtjlaw.com.
Vidovich had also wanted the board to approve requiring landowners with wells near its boundaries to register and report extractions with Southwest Kings GSA. But it’s unclear if that policy passed after a board member from a neighboring GSA objected saying, “It’s none of your damn business.”
For the meters, landowners must provide the GSA with the following information by Sept. 1:
- Parcel number
- Brand, model number and size of meter
- Photo of the meter and flowrate
- Description and a map of the wells
- Description of other wells or surface water used on the property
- Signed statement from the landowner allowing Southwest access to the property
Southwest will require well extraction data reported monthly.
Landowners are also expected to report extractions to the state Water Resources Control Board by May 1.
Southwest will meet again Feb. 20 at 19813 Madison Ave. in Stratford.
