Private water supply continuously vandalized

Danielle Switalski

Mary Lou Hermes lives just outside of Paradise and her and her husband have first water rights on the water coming from a creek that begins and ends on their property.

On the right side of the highway is a cement siphon, which has water from the creek running through it. Although this is a private water supply, many people depend on it and use it as their main source of drinking water.

“Everybody just takes that water, it’s good tasting. Lots of people like it and for some people that’s their only water supply,” said Hermes.

It is not the actually use of the water that has Hermes upset, but the vandalism that has been occurring at the sight of the cement siphon.

Hermes’ son in law, Kent Newbold, recently fixed the cement siphon that has been deteriorating for the past few years. Since the siphon has been fixed, continuous vandalism has occurred including people ripping down signs Hermes has laminated and nailed to the cement telling people that it is a private water supply and asking them not to mess with it. This is a problem because Hermes has seen people wash their hands and even dog in the water that supplies her household and is drunk by Hermes and her family.

Hermes also put up a sign asking for donations from people who freely use and enjoy the water to help pay for the $1,000 repairs Newbold made to the cement siphon. Much to her dismay, the signs are almost immediately removed from the nails and taken down by an unknown party.

“I am surprised and disappointed, disappointed first and surprised most of all because I thought people were better,” said Hermes.

Hermes said she thinks that many people believe the water siphon to be a state project and therefore do with it what they want, however, she wants people to know that it is in fact a private water supply and is hoping people would respect that. However, time and time again the signs she puts up are immediately ripped down.

Hermes is hoping for two things to begin happening with her water supply. First, she wants the vandalism to stop and have people realize that the water is not publicly owned and should be respected. Second, she is hoping that Newbold is compensated for the money he has put into fixing the siphon by people who use the water for free.

Hermes has set up a tax free bank account through the Woman’s Club. So far $400 has been put into the account to help pay for the rebuild of the cement siphon.