Tulare County officials warn $5.4 million for Early Mart water and sewer projects at risk as PUD work lags

Tulare County grants staff told the Board of Supervisors and Early Mart residents on Tuesday that $5.4 million allocated for two local utility projects remains at risk because the Early Mart Public Utility District (PUD) has not delivered shovel‑ready engineering or billing invoices that would allow construction to proceed.

Denise England, grants and resources manager with the Tulare County Resource Management Agency, told the board the county has set aside $500,000 in ARPA funding and pursued a $1.7 million federal earmark for a Front Street well treatment project, and $1.6 million in ARPA plus a $1.6 million earmark for an interceptor sewer relief project — for a combined total of $5,400,000. “At this point, both of those funding sources are available, at $2,200,000 for the Front Street Well … The second project … would be a total of 3,200,000.0,” England said.

England said the county had expected those projects to be “shovel ready” — with design, environmental review and property acquisition complete…