Photo courtesy Julian Community Services District
By Paul Levikow
May 19, 2026 (Julian) — Residents and business owners in the East County mountain community of Julian have running water again, after water service was restored following a recent outage and boil-water advisory on Main Street.
But local officials caution that the problems are not over yet. According to Julian Community Services District General Manager and Chief Operator Harry “Buddy” Seifert, the outages stem from an aging underground pipe system dating back six decades.
“All water was back on as of 5/6/26,” Seifert told East County Magazine this week, while acknowledging that recurring failures remain a concern because “the pipe keeps breaking in different areas after repairs are made.”
Old Infrastructure
Seifert said much of Julian’s water system was installed in 1965 and 1966 using asbestos-reinforced concrete pipe that was improperly installed.
“We have 60-year-old pipes that were not installed correctly from the beginning,” Seifert said. “There’s supposed to be sand on the bottom and top, with about 2½ feet of soil without stone.”
The first major failure tied to the aging system occurred about a decade ago when tree roots damaged a section of pipe. Although the material typically has a projected lifespan of 75 to 80 years, repeated stress fractures and shifting ground conditions have accelerated problems in Julian. The district replaces damaged sections with modern plastic piping, primarily CPVC (Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride), during repairs.
“We take a chunk out and replace it with plastic piping,” Seifert said.
Replacing the entire remaining system, however, is a much larger challenge.
“It costs about $1 million per mile to replace pipe,” Seifert said. “We still have two miles to go.”
One mile of pipeline near the end of town was replaced in the early 2000s, but much of the original system remains underground beneath downtown Julian along Main Street.
Residents Frustrated
The outages have tested the patience of homeowners, restaurants, inns and retail businesses that rely heavily on tourism in the historic mountain town. Water interruptions can affect everything from food service to restroom access and lodging operations. Seifert said the community is resilient.
“People of Julian are civilized. You learn to roll with the punches. You have to,” he said.
Photo, below right: Aerial view of Julian courtesy Julian Community Services District
The district has implemented a phone-tree notification system to rapidly alert residents and businesses when outages or boil-water orders occur, according to Seifert, who said all customers are notified within about two hours. JCSD officials also emphasized that the drinking water remains safe.
“The water is safe in Julian,” Seifert said. “Pipes are sanitized before installation, and the system undergoes testing for contaminants including E. coli and other disease-carrying bacteria.”
Seeking Funding
The district has pursued outside funding for decades in hopes of replacing the remaining aging pipes before additional failures occur. Seifert, who has served on the JCSD Board since 1987, said the district first applied for state assistance in the mid-1990s and continues seeking help through grants and low-interest loans. Without outside funding, the small district faces financial hurdles.
“We have letters out to the state hoping to get a State Revolving Fund loan and get into the grant cycle,” Seifert said. “We can do repairs, but we need the money to replace it.”
Despite the frustrations caused by repeated outages, Seifert said district crews remain committed to keeping water flowing under difficult circumstances.
“It’s been a real adventure for us for the 39 years,” he said. “Be patient. We’re doing the best we can with what we have. If someone wants to donate $2 million, we’d be glad to name the pipes after them.”
The JCSD was formed in 1964 to provide water service to downtown Julian’s 271-acre service area. The district oversees wells, tanks, pipelines, pumps, chlorination stations and other infrastructure serving residents and businesses in the historic mountain town.
“Though the District makes every effort for a smooth orderly flow of clean clear water to our consumers, we cannot guarantee delivery of water and assume no liability for any damages due to interruption of water delivery,” according to a statement on the JCSD website. “Here at the JCSD, we caution all water users whose needs or business demands an uninterrupted supply of water to provide for adequate emergency supplies.”
One Response
Cancer causing asbestos in the water pipes, Not good…