"Northeast Fresno Residents Sue City Over Water Problems"

"Attorneys representing three households in northeast Fresno have filed a potential class-action lawsuit against the city and others over discoloration and lead in water coming from faucets in their homes.

The lawsuit, filed Friday afternoon in Fresno County Superior Court, is the first of potentially several that could be brought against the city. It asserts that “wrongful conduct” by the city, the Department of Public Utilities, and two contractors hired to install water meters have caused harm and damage to “potentially thousands of class members” following the introduction of treated water from the city’s Northeast Surface Water Treatment Plant to the drinking water system in that part of Fresno. The treatment plant became operational in mid-2004.

Attorneys Raymond Boucher of Woodland Hills, Esther Berezofsky of New Jersey and Gregory Owen of Valencia are representing Heather Drive neighbors Karen and Michael Micheli and Jeanette Grider, and Faith and David Nitschke, who live on June Lake Lane, “on behalf of themselves and all persons residing within and around the northeast Fresno … area, who have suffered harm from being supplied degraded and substandard water by the city’s public water system.” "

Tim Sheehan reports for the Fresno Bee September 9, 2016.