Fallout from the ongoing who-owes-what dispute over the still sinking Friant-Kern Canal led to some awkward and very carefully worded moments during a meeting to discuss replacement pump stations. At its May 22 meeting, the Friant Water Authority ultimately voted to restart the bidding process to build four replacement pump stations to deliver water from the canal to the Saucelito Irrigation District. But the board added some strings. It will only start construction if: Litigation filed by Saucelito and its sister districts, Porterville and Terra Bella, regarding the “Cost Recovery Methodology” was resolved through a settlement or verdict; Friant had sufficient cash on hand and certainty of funding sources necessary to cover future payments for the parallel canal and pump stations. The vote elicited a mixed reaction.