Sen. Hurtado’s early support and $1 million in initial state funding helped launch a water project now bringing clean water to families once left behind.

SANGER, CA — Senator Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield) today congratulated the residents of Tombstone Territory in Fresno County as they celebrate the completion of the Tombstone Drinking Water Project, a long-awaited milestone that now brings clean, safe, and reliable drinking water to a community that for years struggled with dry wells and water contamination.

The effort to connect Tombstone’s small, unincorporated neighborhood to the City of Sanger’s municipal water system began six years ago, when Senator Hurtado helped secure $1 million in state funding to jumpstart planning and design. That early investment, along with her leadership as a co-author of Senate Bill 200, which created California’s Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund, laid the groundwork for the project’s completion.

“When I served on the Sanger City Council, I saw firsthand the urgent need for clean water solutions in Tombstone,” said Senator Hurtado. “In the Senate, I made it my mission to deliver them—because every Californian deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water, no matter their zip code. I’m proud this day has come, and that the families of Tombstone are finally getting the water they deserve.”

The project is part of a broader state effort to deliver clean drinking water to underserved communities. SB 200, authored in tandem with Senator Bill Monning (D–Carmel), created a permanent fund for water access in rural and disadvantaged areas. Hurtado’s Senate Bill 513 (2019) authorized the State Water Board to provide critical grant and interim water support, and her Senate Bill 1366 (2022) requires transparency about past water issues in home sales to better protect future residents.

“Where you live should not determine whether your water is safe,” Hurtado added. “Too many communities, especially in the Valley, are still dependent on bottled water or deliveries by truck. Tombstone’s milestone proves that when we act with urgency, we can fix what’s broken.”

Anita, a longtime Tombstone resident and school friend of Senator Hurtado, shared:

Tombstone, like many rural California communities, has long faced threats to its water supply from contaminated or failing wells. Today, those homes have been connected to a safe municipal system, offering residents a renewed sense of security.

Senator Hurtado’s connection to the area remains strong—her younger sister currently serves on the Sanger City Council, continuing the family’s legacy of public service.

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