Vandals Destroy California Dam, Waste 50 Million Gallons of Water | The Weather Channel
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Vandals in Fremont, California, deflated a rubber dam and let loose 50 million gallons of potable water in an area stricken by drought.

ByZain Haidar
May 29, 2015Updated: May 29, 2015, 4:39 pm EDTPublished: May 29, 2015, 4:39 pm EDT





More bad news for drought-stricken California.

NBC Bay Area reports that vandals deflated a rubber dam in Fremont, California, last Thursday, releasing 50 million gallons of drinkable water into the San Francisco Bay. 


The rubber dam prior to the multi-million dollar damage done Thursday.

(Alameda County Water District )

For perspective, the Alameda County Water District says the water lost is equivalent to a year's supply for 500 households. 


(MORE: Crews Scramble to Prevent Dam Failure)

"It's shocking that someone would do this, given our current situation. Our drought is so severe," Fremont resident Emily Kunkel told NBC. "I don't understand why anyone would do that."

Fremont police say that the vandals, who haven't been found, trespassed into the area early Thursday and destroyed the dam, which was holding back water for the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin.

Damages to the property range up to $3 million, CBS San Francisco reports. 

California is four years into a historic drought that's impacted the state on a widespread level. 

Besides a $1 billion plan to relieve California's residents, Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed fines up to $10,000 for severe water wasters

If they're caught, the vandals behind the deflated dam could face thousands in fine and jailtime for destruction of public property. 

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