Emergency program has restored water supply for homes in Stanislaus County

As of Tuesday, a drought relief program has restored a water supply for almost 30 homes with dry wells in Stanislaus County.

The Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services has received 53 requests for portable water tanks from desperate homeowners with dry wells, said Dale Skiles, assistant director of OES. Those residents face up to a yearlong wait for a driller to sink a new well.

Self Help Enterprises, which runs the program for the county, has also set up free water deliveries for other residents who bought their own storage tanks when their shallow wells failed amid a punishing drought that’s lasted more than four years.

The Board of Supervisors proclaimed a local emergency July 28 and approved the temporary water supply assistance as part of a contingency plan. The tanks delivered to homes hold about 3,000 gallons, and a pump restores pressure to the home’s plumbing. The temporary supply is provided until the homeowners have a new well in operation.

Regular water deliveries are set up to refill the tanks. The program provides water service for household needs in unincorporated areas of Stanislaus County. The service funded by the state’s drought relief package is free; homeowners are responsible for the cost if any electrical work is needed to hook up the system.

Applications for the program, in English and Spanish, are on the county website at www.stancounty.com. A hotline at 209-552-3880 provides information and gives callers options to speak with the county Office of Emergency Services or Self-Help Enterprises.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Emergency program has restored water supply for homes in Stanislaus County."