BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Residents in a Southeast Bakersfield neighborhood were left without water for several hours on Thursday, a problem that has been recurring in the area.
- Residents in a Southeast Bakersfield neighborhood faced another water shutoff on Thursday, highlighting a recurring issue in the area.
- Victory Mutual Water Co. and East Niles Water District are working on a consolidation plan, expected to be completed by August 2027, though approval may come sooner.
- Water was restored by 5 p.m., with only a brief shutoff for repairs. A community meeting on March 13 will discuss the ongoing water issues and potential solutions.
Residents in a Southeast Bakersfield neighborhood were left without water for most of Thursday, a recurring issue that many in the area have grown accustomed to. The latest water shutoff affected several residents, including Jimmy Mack, who experienced the inconvenience firsthand.
“It just turned off on me, I noticed it in the morning when I was getting ready for school, and I couldn’t even use the water to brush my teeth,” says Jimmy Mack.
Mack, who is no stranger to these disruptions, shared that these water shutoffs have become a regular occurrence in the neighborhood. “Get the water out, put it on the toothbrush, and then like put it in my mouth, gargle it, and brush my teeth,” he adds.
He’s not alone in his frustration. Don Ingland, another resident, noticed his water was off around 4 a.m. that morning. “There was no water, you brush your teeth with a bottle of water, wash your face off with a bottle of water, and go to work, you know,” says Ingland.
Ingland also recalls experiencing frequent shutoffs, particularly during the hotter months of last summer. “Probably 8 or 10 times,” he says.
While covering the situation, we spoke to Bill White, the president of Victory Mutual Water Co., who explained that a cracked pipe was the cause of the most recent outage. “You see that cap that he put on there? That ended up in here like that. We had a clean-out valve here, so we eliminated all that and put a cap on it, simplest way we can find to fix it,” White explains.
The East Niles Water District is currently working on a consolidation plan with Victory Mutual Water Co., a process expected to be completed by August 2027. However, East Niles manager Tim Ruiz notes that the plan is still in the design phase and could be approved as soon as next year.
“I have already got the papers and everything signed, I’m just waiting on Sacramento,” continues White.
Despite the inconvenience, White assures residents that water was restored by 5 p.m., with only a brief shutoff around 2 p.m. for repairs. He also noted that while some residents experienced low water pressure, no one was left without water.
For those affected by the ongoing shutoffs, there will be a community meeting on March 13 at 5 p.m. at Shirley Lane School, where residents can discuss the issue and potential solutions.
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