California Homeowners Fight Sanitation District Over Backyard Structures on Sewer Easement

Twenty-nine homeowners in Huntington Beach, California, are in a legal battle with the Orange County Sanitation District over a 30-foot sewer easement running through their properties. Some residents had constructed pools and other structures on the land, having obtained proper city permits at the time of building. The sanitation district argues it needs access to the easement to maintain and service an aging wastewater pipeline beneath the area. A court has ruled that the homeowners' case is eligible to proceed to trial, keeping their legal challenge alive.