People in Arvin are a big step closer to having clean drinking water, as the city breaks ground on the first of three new wells and a million-gallon storage tank. Community Services District Manager Raul Barraza Jr. tells our partners at 17 News that all six of their current wells have had high arsenic levels since 2006. “Knowing that the tap water you will be drinking is going to be safe, there’s no need for purchasing bottled water anymore.” He says $5-million of the $14-million state loan will be forgiven, and Arvin has 30 years to pay back the loan. The new wells and tank should take about a year to complete.

Suzanne Grant