Ultimatum Given in Water Dispute
The Santa Ana Mountains County Water District Wednesday gave rancher Sam Porter six months to either pay $33,600 to have water meters installed for 14 low-income residences on his property or evict his tenants.
If he fails to comply, the water board said it would cut off the water supply.
Porter, himself a director on the water district board the past two years, has been waging a battle with his colleagues after connecting 14 shacks and trailers to his own water meter on his 300-acre Trabuco Highlands Ranch in Trabuco Canyon, otherwise known as “Porterville.”
Two weeks ago, Porter asked the district for 14 months to straighten out the problem and said he would pay an additional $200 a month to ensure that the water supply to his tenants is not cut off.
But the board voted 4 to 0 Wednesday night--Porter did not vote--to give the rancher only six months, charge him $250 a month in the meantime and make him cut off the water supply himself.
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