The Orange County Sanitation District says more than two dozen homes sit on a longstanding sewer easement and has decided now is the time to enforce it, reclaiming about 30 feet from the properties.
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 4:06AM
More than two dozen homeowners in Huntington Beach are on the verge of losing portions of their yards -- including sheds, swimming pools, and in at least one case, part of a house. The Orange County Sanitation District said the properties sit on a longstanding sewer easement and has decided now is the time to enforce it, reclaiming about 30 feet from the properties.
The easement has been there since the 1960s, and the regional wastewater pipeline transports between 10 and 25 million gallons of wastewater per day, according to the district. OC San says it needs better access, and that means taking about 30 feet from each property. Demolition has already begun on Rhone Lane, where 29 homes are affected. Residents there say they feel blindsided.
'The pipe's never had a problem. It hasn't been affected by the earthquakes,' Beresford said. 'So we as homeowners are kind of looking at it and going, 'What's the immediate need?''
Beresford purchased his home in November of 2024. At that time, the previous owner had already signed a settlement agreement with OC San ahead of demolition. Beresford, however, said his pool was not going to be touched. 'My pool was not in the easement. And the measurements clearly show that,' Beresford said. 'It never should have happened.'
He was also surprised to see construction proceeding despite several of his neighbors refusing to sign OC San's settlement. They are opting to fight and are now suing. That includes Philip Rizzo, who has lived on the street for more than 20 years. He had an above-ground pool built in his backyard to accommodate his son, who uses a wheelchair. Now, he's being told it, and about half of his backyard has to go.
'We had three easements listed on our title: one for the utility poles and then two for sanitation. And when we asked what that meant, they said it means they have access to your property. Should there be an issue or an emergency, they need to be able to access the property,' Rizzo said. 'It wasn't until 2023 that we actually had to get a lawyer to pull the easement that's 14 pages long to explain what it is.''
'They're not willing to even sit down. They're not willing to mediate. They weren't willing to discuss other options other than taking all 30 feet,' Rizzo said.
Dean and Debora West are part of the lawsuit, too. They have an in-ground pool and have lived in their home since 2011. 'They just come in and say they were going to take our pool. We were just shocked. Can they do that? This is an easement. You're supposed to be able to give them access,' Debora West said. 'We never ever thought that the easement meant that they would give them our pool and our land, or we would have never bought this home.'
Many residents have the same question: why now? They point to a 2022 evaluation of the pipe that showed no signs of damage.
'If we waited until the pipeline broke or until there's some type of issue with the pipeline, that's irresponsible on our part. We can't wait till it breaks. Our job as a regional wastewater provider is to ensure the protection of the environment and the larger community, not just the 29 homeowners that are here,' said Jennifer Cabral, the Director of Communications for OC San.
Homeowners say they were willing to allow crews access to their property any time if repairs were needed. Only 13 homeowners have signed settlements with the district. The others are standing their ground. Cabral said construction will last through the end of this calendar year, and noted the district is covering the cost of demolition for the 13 homes that have settled. It will cost an estimated $2.8 million. Once the yards are cleared, there will be an 8-foot cinder block wall installed with a gate access.
The pipeline is extensive, running through other neighborhoods and businesses, even under the 405 Freeway. Residents on Rhone Lane say they feel singled out.
'We have easements throughout Orange County all over. Infrastructure has been put into place since the 1960s, some even before that. So we are going through, and we are assessing all of our easements,' Cabral said. 'When we are doing maintenance here, our crews could not access it. They had to navigate around it, and it put our crews at risk.'
Eyewitness News has asked the city of Huntington Beach why permits were issued to homes on Rhone Lane in the first place when the easement has been there for decades. A spokesperson said they were investigating.
'We do understand that it's emotional. There's an impact. It's jarring. There is an easement on the property in which they purchased, and there are encroachments, and they've continued to get worse over time,' Cabral said. 'If we don't start correcting it today, when's the right time?'
A hearing in the case against OC San is scheduled for May 1. Eyewitness News asked Cabral what would happen if the court ruled against OC San. 'I don't have an eight ball, but if they do rule in their favor, then we'll have to reevaluate and kind of see what's going on. But at the end of the day, these 13 homeowners, they signed an agreement with us. So outside of the easement, outside of the lawsuit, we have an agreement that's in place that the residents said yes, move forward with us,' Cabral said.
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