Diablo Grande, a planned community in Central California, suffers from severe water scarcity. Initially approved for a massive development, only a scaled-back version with 600 homes was built. Environmental concerns prompted the formation of the Western Hills Water District to supply water. Since 2000, this district has depended on water from the Kern County Water Agency, whose contract was terminated due to unpaid bills. Financial troubles have persisted since the original developers' bankruptcy in 2008, affecting the viability of the community's water management and future development plans.
The community was initially approved for construction on 29,000 acres in the early 1990s and was dreamed up as a massive project featuring thousands of homes, half a dozen golf courses and even a hotel.
Since 2000, that water district has relied on water pumped from the Kern County Water Agency some 200 miles south.
This decision, at least in part, is a reflection of financial troubles that have plagued the development for more than a decade, starting with when the original developers went bankrupt in 2008.
Even in a best-case scenario, there seemingly is no solution except for one that is both temporary and unfathomably expensive.
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