By Kristin Sicke, General Manager of Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation awarded the Madison Community Services District (Madison CSD) $990,000 from their Doyuti T’uhkama grant program, delivering essential funding to replace Madison’s aging drinking water system and improve public health for a disadvantaged rural community.
This grant provides funding to ensure about 750 people — approximately 450 permanent residents and 300 migrant farmworkers who live at the Madison Migrant Center during harvest season — will have access to more reliable water when the Madison CSD completes the water system upgrades. Madison CSD serves a small, rural community located between Woodland and Esparto in Yolo County.
“Clean, reliable drinking water is a basic human necessity, and no community in our region should go without it. Madison has worked for years to replace a system that fails far too often, and we are honored to help close the final funding gap so construction can begin. This investment is personal for us as well — many of our employees live and work in the Madison community, and their families deserve safe, dependable water. As Patwin people, we believe in being good neighbors and good stewards of this land, and we are proud to stand with Madison as they build a safer, healthier future,” said Anthony Roberts, Chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
A Partnership Rooted in Community Well-Being
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation’s Doyuti T’uhkama program focuses on Native cultural resource preservation, Native sovereignty, education, health, and wellness, and local infrastructure in the Patwin traditional territory. The Nation chose to support Madison because the project delivers immediate, measurable benefits to families, farmworkers, and children in a rural community with limited resources.
“This gift from the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation will allow the replacement of the drinking water system that was originally installed in 1967 — a system that has failed residents for decades,” said Leo Refsland, General Manager of Madison Community Service District (CSD), which maintains the system. “Their generosity allows our community to access safe, reliable drinking water.” The aging asbestos-cement pipelines break between 3 and 12 times per year (often in streets, private yards, and business properties), disrupt service for hours at a time, and cost the District thousands of dollars annually in emergency repairs. The leaking pipes also result in the loss of thousands of gallons of water per year.
In 2022, Madison CSD secured a $3.8 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources through the Small Community Drought Relief Program for replacement of the drinking water system. Rising material and labor costs created a $1.45 million construction shortfall. Madison CSD contributed available reserve funds to help address the shortfall and Consero Solutions, a local social impact consulting firm led by founder Petrea Marchand, donated time to help identify additional funding and apply for grants. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation’s $990,000 grant fills the remaining funding gap and allows Madison CSD to proceed with construction immediately and complete the project by summer 2026.
The project includes:
- Replacement of more than 13,000 feet of deteriorating asbestos-cement pipeline
- Installation of approximately 148 new service laterals with residential water meters
- Upgrades to fire hydrants, valves, and safety infrastructure
About the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is a self-governed, sovereign nation that supports its citizens by strengthening culture, stewarding land, and creating economic independence for future generations. The Tribe is committed to building strong communities and developing effective partnerships with neighbors in California’s Capay Valley and regionally in Yolo, Solano, Colusa, and parts of Lake, and Napa Counties, where their people have lived from time immemorial.
The Nation practices responsible leadership, environmental stewardship, and community partnership through innovative programs that uplift people and improve shared resources, including the Doyuti T’uhkama grant program. Doyuti T’uhkama means “to give the acorn” in the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation’s native Patwin language. For the Patwin people, the acorn is a cherished symbol that reflects Yocha Dehe’s commitment to sharing its resources, particularly with those in need.
About Madison Community Services District
Madison CSD, established in 1966, delivers drinking water service to households, businesses, and agricultural workers in the town of Madison, including the Madison Migrant Center. The District’s current system was installed in 1967 and has served the community for nearly six decades. The District manages its system with a commitment to reliability, conservation, fiscal responsibility, and strong customer service.
