Sentinel: The water vanished from Olivia Vargas modest East Porterville home on an ordinary morning as she was rinsing her breakfast dishes. It left Yolanda Serratos house just as suddenly, sputtering, then stopping, as she held a garden hose. Soon, the faucets at Iglesia Emmanuel went dry as parishioners tried to clean up after Sunday services.
Ten miles away, Ron and Cheryl Perine poured two glasses of water to drink and watched in disbelief as sand settled to the bottom.
It was devastating,...