Why is my water coming out white from the faucet?

Air Bubbles (Most Common Reason)

• When cold water is pressurized in the pipes, it traps air. Once you open the faucet, the pressure releases, and air bubbles form, giving the water a milky or cloudy appearance.

• How to Check: Fill a clear glass with water and let it sit for a minute. If the water clears from the bottom up, it’s just air bubbles.

High Water Pressure or Recent Maintenance

• If there was recent work on your water lines or a water main break, it may have introduced extra air into the system.

• Solution: Run the cold water tap for a few minutes. The air should eventually clear.

Temperature Differences

• Cold water holds more air than warm water. When it warms up (such as in your pipes or faucet), the air is released as bubbles.

• Solution: Check if it happens only with cold water or both hot and cold.

Why do trucks pump our water?

The Planada Community Services District (PCSD) has partnered with Self-Help Enterprises, a nationally recognized community development organization dedicated to working with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. This partnership helps ensure that local residents have access to safe, potable water.

Self-Help Enterprises collaborates with Bezak, a water hauling company, to provide potable water to residents whose wells have gone dry. This water is strictly regulated for essential use, including drinking, cooking, toilets, showers, and sinks. The service is exclusively available to residents in our area who are facing well failures.

Historically, Bezak has never pumped more than 2% of the water that PCSD produces in a single day within a given month.

PCSD is not required to provide this service, and it does not impact local water availability. In the event of a water shortage or sustainability concerns, our priority will always be ensuring an adequate water supply for our community.

Is the Planada water safe to drink?

The Planada Community Services District (PCSD) water system consists of six (6) active wells that provide safe, clean drinking water to our community. Our groundwater meets all state and federal water quality standards, and no violations have been issued for contaminants commonly affecting Central Valley water systems, such as nitrate and arsenic. Certified water distribution operators conduct routine sampling as required by the State of California to ensure our drinking water remains safe and of high quality.

All system water quality history available to the public via the state’s Public Water Watch website (SDWIS).

How can I pay my water/sewer bill?

Currently, payments can be made in person at our office using cash, check, or money order. You may also set up automatic payments through your bank, which will send a check on your behalf.

You also have the option of dropping off your payment at our Drop-Box. Please make sure to include on your check the account number, your service address, or name on the account for payment. Please do not leave cash in the drop box.

Why can’t I receive a “Can and Will Serve” letter for my new build?

The State of California, which regulates the Planada Community Services District (PCSD) water system, enforces specific rules and standards for evaluating water supply versus demand. These regulations require water systems to apply certain multipliers when assessing demand to ensure long-term sustainability.

Currently, we are unable to approve new water service connections due to the most recent source capacity assessment of our wells compared to current demand. Our latest groundwater capacity study shows:

• Combined well capacity: ~1,650 GPM

• Maximum Day Demand (MDD): 1,746 GPM

• Peak Hourly Demand (PHD): 2,619 GPM

These calculations comply with California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Section 64554.

To address these limitations, we are actively working on water conservation efforts and a new well construction project, which is currently undergoing the required environmental impact assessment by the State of California. Unfortunately, this process takes time.

Additionally, we are utilizing the Groundwater Sustainability Agency Plan (GSAP) to manage our water resources responsibly and ensure long-term supply reliability. This plan provides strategies for sustainable groundwater use while addressing future demand challenges.

We understand the community’s concerns and are committed to keeping residents informed. I will continue to investigate this issue, consult with system operators, and attend the Planada MAC meeting to discuss ongoing concerns regarding new connection requests. We appreciate your patience and hope this information helps clarify the current situation.