Settlement Reached in Mathis v. County of Siskiyou: Shasta Vista Residents Secure the Right to Reliable Water Access

SAN FRANCISCO — On July 30, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors agreed to a settlement that will resolve the remaining claims in Mathis et al. v. County of Siskiyou et al., a case brought by Siskiyou residents who challenged water access restrictions in a community that is home to more than 1,000 residents, most of whom are Asian American.

Under the settlement, the County will refrain from enforcing local laws that had the effect of curtailing water deliveries to Shasta Vista, a rural, largely undeveloped subdivision, whose residents have long had to obtain their water from sources outside of their community. This agreement will cover water deliveries for domestic use only, not cannabis cultivation, and will remain in place while residents of the Shasta Vista community look for a more permanent source of domestic water. Efforts to create sustainable, permanent water solutions for domestic use in Shasta Vista will be an ongoing, multi-year process.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to have good, safe, and potable water in their homes, and this agreement will give the Shasta Vista community an opportunity to achieve this, County leaders said. While Representatives of the County acknowledge that finding a solution to the provision of water in the area will be an involved and detailed process, the settlement agreement makes clear that the County supports the efforts of the community to find long term solutions for domestic water access.

“Like most of my neighbors, I can’t afford to drill a well on my property and for years have struggled to have a reliable supply of clean water,” said Russell Mathis, a longtime Shasta Vista resident, who is the lead plaintiff in the case. “This agreement means that residents in my community will get the water we desperately need for bathing, caring for animals, and protecting ourselves against wildfires.”

Plaintiffs were represented by the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, the Asian Law Caucus, and Covington & Burling LLP.