WEED, Calif. —Since 2016, the city of Weed has had to pay an Oregon-based lumber company for access to drinking water. It had been nearly free for decades.
The city leased a local spring from the company, but then it decided to raise its prices. The future of the city’s water supply was uncertain until it struck a deal with another organization, earlier this month.
Most of Weed’s water comes from a local spring, owned by Roseburg Forest Products. For many years it charged the city only one dollar a year for access to the spring. But then five years ago, the company began charging the city $100,000 a year for the water. Lawyers predictably got involved.
After years of debate, Roxanne Crystal Geyser stepped in to purchase the water rights and sold them to the city for half the cost.
“This is a perfect example of a great public-private partnership ending with a really good story because they felt the city of weed has been very gracious to them over the past 20 years in working with them,” says Tim Rundel, Weed City Manager.
Rundel says it is a relief that Weed residents can now feel confident in the future of their drinking water. We reached out to Roseburg Forest Products Friday, and haven’t heard back.
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