On Tuesday at its regular semi-monthly meeting, the Crescenta Valley
Water Board will consider a subject of interest to everyone who buys
its water and uses its sewer system: an increase in the monthly sewer
rate. If matters proceed as usual, the board members will outnumber
the audience. In fact, if more than two people show up to observe
and/or participate, the board members will be surprised.
The miles and miles of sewer lines of the Los Angeles sewer
system, like those of many other large cities, have been neglected
for years. Everyone knows the lines are there, but nobody sees them,
and unless something dramatic happens, nobody thinks of them.
True, they collect money for their use from their customers and
the customers of the many outlying cities and communities that use
them, but that old saw "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to be
the philosophy that guides the well-meaning administrators, and now
the system demonstrates all the symptoms of old age.
The Los Angeles area has expanded rapidly, and the many homes,
condos, apartments and office buildings have discharged waste water
into the sewers. The Hyperion Plant, the main treatment plant for the
area was under capacity, and had to be dramatically improved and
enlarged. Every city and community that sent waste water and sewage
to this plant for treatment had to contribute its share for the
necessary improvements.
La Crescenta sends all of its waste water to the Glendale
Treatment Plant. Much of the excess water is treated and either
discharged into the Los Angeles River or used as gray water for
irrigating golf courses. The sludge that remains is sent to the
Hyperion Plant for final treatment via a line owned by the city of
Glendale, a line in which La Crescenta has a 10% interest under a
joint power agreement.
As the rebuilding of the Hyperion plant progressed, the bills
increased -- millions of dollars for the necessary expansion -- and
that necessitated severe rate raises. As the expansion neared its
completion, construction costs came down and the savings were passed
on to the customers in the form of temporary decreases in sewer
costs. The lower rates are temporary because the treatment plant is
going to need further expansion. Plans are already on the drawing
board to enlarge the existing facilities to accommodate our
ever-enlarging population.
But that's not the end of the story. For the time being, the plant
refurbishing is almost finished, but the pipes that feed the sewage
