HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – A judge has rejected a motion filed by the Orange County Sanitation District in its dispute with a group of Huntington Beach residents over a decades-old sewer easement, clearing the way for the case to proceed to trial.
Residents along Rhone Lane appeared in court after years of tension with O.C. Sanitation, which says it requires better access to an underground sewer pipeline running beneath the backyards of nearly 30 homes. Construction has already started on properties where homeowners granted permission, while others continue to challenge the project in court.
“This is something that we’ve been living with since, what, December of 2023,” resident Tony Shahidi said.
The sanitation district argued that it cannot adequately access its facilities within the easement, which dates back to the 1960s. The agency offered to cover demolition costs for homeowners willing to remove pools, structures, or other additions, but several declined.
“There’s a complete inability for O.C. San to get to its facility in this easement, which is essentially in the backyards of these property owners,” said Gary Weisberg, an attorney for O.C. Sanitation. “If that’s not interference, I don’t know what is.”
Attorneys representing the residents pushed back, saying the district has maintained and accessed the sewer line for decades without any problems.
“Bureaucracies can be abusive and in this case, what O.C. San is doing is offensive. It’s as offensive as the sewage that they manage every day,” said Javier Van Oordt, an attorney representing the residents.
The judge determined that the O.C. Sanitation District has not yet proven that homeowners are interfering with access and scheduled the case for trial in March 2027. The court also allowed residents to file a complaint against the City of Huntington Beach.
“Everything that’s been built there, that’s been there for over 50 years, whether it’s pools or fences or block walls or water, were permitted and approved by the City of Huntington Beach,” Van Oordt said.
In a statement, O.C. Sanitation said its efforts focus on ensuring “safe, reliable access to critical regional wastewater infrastructure that protects public health, the environment, and the communities we serve.”
The agency said the pipeline serves thousands of residents and that maintaining access is essential for worker safety, regulatory compliance, and long-term system reliability. It added that work will continue in areas where access is available.
O.C. Sanitation also said it “remains committed to responsible stewardship of public infrastructure and will continue working to maintain and protect the wastewater system our ratepayers depend on every day.”
Shahidi said residents feel encouraged by the judge’s ruling.
“We are happy that as taxpayers, tax paying citizens of this country, we get our day in court. That’s all we want.”
Several homeowners who signed agreements with the sanitation district have already had parts of their properties demolished, including pools. When asked what would happen if the court ultimately rules in favor of residents, the district said it believes those agreements will remain in place.
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