Frustrated by discolored drinking water pouring from their taps, four Compton residents filed a class-action lawsuit late Monday against their water provider, Sativa Los Angeles County Water District.
The lawsuit, filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses Sativa of failing to provide quality drinking water, misappropriating taxpayer dollars and causing a financial burden on its low-income customers in Compton and Willowbrook.
It has fended off two previous dissolution attempts by L.A. County’s Local Agency Formation Commission — the state-appointed body charged with monitoring special districts.
The plaintiffs include four mothers who said they are affected by water problems dating as far back as five years.
“It’s a wake-up call for everybody, even for those who [oversee] the district,” said Martha Barajas, one of the plaintiffs.
“Maybe people will listen to us now.
Sativa says it lacks the estimated $10 million to $15 million needed to upgrade the 70-year-old pipes it blames for depositing manganese in drinking water, which can make faucets run brown.
The lawsuit states Sativa “miserably failed again and again” to meet state clean drinking waters standards.
The state water board noted that from March 2017 to May 2018, Sativa received at least 97 complaints of brown water from customers.
Days later, Garza was placed on leave.