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Small Community In Santa Cruz Mountains Facing Major Challenges Amid Drought

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (CBS SF) – Tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it's not clear which will run out first, water or money. Because for the tiny Lompico Water District, both are in increasingly short supply.

"While some people think it's very cool to have our own water district. But they tend to forget that we have the same costs as bigger districts and we only have 500 customers," said water district director Merrie Schaller.

Last year, the state identified Lompico as one of California's "most vulnerable" communities at risk of running out of water. After four years of drought, the creek that supplied a quarter of their water supply has slowed to a trickle.

"We haven't been able to draw from the creek for over a year because it just hasn't been high enough," Schaller told KPIX 5. "So, it's just been our wells."

Equally challenging, Lompico needs to raise nearly $3 million to replace aging infrastructure, leaky pipes and outdated cedar storage tanks.

"With fewer people, there's less money coming in," said operations technician Aidan Robinson. "And it's an old system."

Lompico hopes to merge with the much larger San Lorenzo Valley Water District, although an initial attempt in the spring failed.

For now, the tiny water district struggles to stay afloat as water, money and options quickly dry up.

"It's really a matter of not having enough money," Schaller said.

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