YUMA, Ariz. – A case that has gone on for years is finally closed—leaving the City of Yuma victorious in their fight against Diamond Brooks Bottled Water.
The jury returned the verdict in favor of the city Thursday. This has been an ongoing case since about 2010 after Diamond Brooks sold stolen water from the City of Yuma and the Colorado River.
$59,949.12 is how much Diamond Brooks water company owes the city. “That was the amount that was taken from the city of Yuma water utility rate payers illegally,” says Dave Nash on behalf of the city. “We’re pleased that the jury returned that verdict in our favor.”
Philip and Suzanne Clark of Diamond Brooks sold stolen water from the City of Yuma and the Colorado River and did this using a city fire suppression pipeline on the Diamond Brooks property. The city pursued reparation of damages through the civil litigation filed against Phillip Clark.
However, the fight against Diamond Brook was initially handled by the federal government because it involved the Colorado River.
“The federal government took over the investigation in this case and they were working some other angles: back taxes and some other things like that,” explains Nash. “But when they got done with what they wanted, well they kind of left us to pursue the illegal fire tap on our own, and that’s what we did via the civil remedy here. We’re happy that it worked out in our favor.”