Cities Seek Changes in Water District Consolidation Bill

Concerned that a water district consolidation bill pending in the Legislature could raise water rates and costs for some North Orange County communities, city officials and water agency representatives agreed Friday to support amendments that they say would protect their interests.

The bill, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove), would make a number of changes with the aim of reducing water and sanitation districts in the county.

Among its provisions, it would consolidate the county’s wholesale water districts into two entities, one serving the north and one the south. The northern district would manage the Santa Ana River ground water basin.

Officials in Anaheim, Fullerton and Santa Ana say they fear they could lose rights to that underground basin, which now supplies about 75% of the water for those cities.

If that happened and other communities that have no underground water gained the right to tap that supply, the three North County cities might be forced to import water, raising customers’ rates, officials said.

“The way the bill is written right now leaves open the possibility that annexed areas may well tap into the ground basin, reducing the amount of water available for the current members,” said Edward K. Aghjayan, general manager of Anaheim’s public utilities department.

At Friday’s special meeting, called by the Orange County Water District, officials agreed to ask Pringle to reconsider amendments to the bill. In July, water district members made recommendations, but as the bill now stands, officials said, their concerns are not addressed.

“I don’t think the amendments are clear enough in terms of removing any doubt that our water supply will be adversely impacted,” Aghjayan said.

Key points of the proposed amendments are:

* That future annexations would not reduce current pumping abilities of existing water district members.

* That there would be no increased cost to cities and agencies now pumping water from the underground basin.

* That Anaheim, Santa Ana and Fullerton be guaranteed representation on the new water district board appointed after the consolidation.

“We’re just trying to protect what we have achieved all these years in regard to our water resources,” said Lee Harry, Santa Ana’s water resources manager.