The ongoing case against a Tulare County groundwater agency for allegedly not paying its fair share to fix the sinking Friant-Kern Canal will continue, according to a recent ruling.

Lisa McEwen

SJV Water

A trial date is set for Dec. 22 in Tulare County Superior Court.

A judge recently shut down an attempt by the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) to dismiss the lawsuit by the Friant Water Authority, which alleges Eastern Tule breached a 2021 agreement to pay up to $200 million toward fixing the canal.

In fact, Friant may have to go after individual landowners for the money it says Eastern Tule reneged on, according to some interpretations of Hillman’s ruling.

It “indicates that even if FWA could prove its disputed claims at trial, FWA might not be entitled to any of

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