Robert Chacon
The Foothill Municipal Water District will host a public meeting
tonight to get input from residents on how water should be supplied
in the area in the next 20 years.
In a sense, everyone who lives in La Crescenta and La Canada
Flintridge is a customer of Foothill Municipal.
The agency supplies Crescenta Valley's imported water from the
Colorado River and serves the four purveyors that supply local
groundwater. Those purveyors are the Crescenta Valley Water District
in La Crescenta, the La Canada Irrigation District, Mesa Crest Water
Co. and the Valley Water Co.
The Crescenta Valley Water District serves about 80,000 residents
in La Crescenta, Montrose, La Canada Flintridge and portions of
Glendale. Crescenta Valley buys up to 60% of its water supplies from
Foothill Municipal.
"This is a meeting for all the stakeholders in the western half of
Foothill Municipal's district," said Dennis Erdman, general manager
for Crescenta Valley Water District. "We pay their bills."
Foothill Municipal is on the cusp of designing a road map for the
next 20 years. It is a future that includes the possibility of
charging the four local water companies to replace its aging
infrastructure, such as underground pipes. Those agencies will
undoubtedly pass on costs to customers, local water officials said.
"We want to get people to understand how Foothill Municipal fits
in with the water retailers as an imported-water supplier," Foothill
General Manager Bill Pecsi said.
Foothill officials will look for public input on a variety of
issues, including a bond that would help pay for a new underground
system to carry water. This should be important to locals, because
bonds are paid back by residents on their tax bills, said Jay
Malinowski, a consultant with McGuire Environmental Consultants,
which is heading Wednesday's meeting.
Foothill Municipal has never introduced a bond to help pay for its
aging infrastructure, built during the 1950s, but it might be time to
do so, Malinowski said.
"We want to see if residents think it's fair if future generations
pay for improvements needed now," he said.
Other issues will include conservation, the possibility of a
back-up delivery system, or if any growth of Foothill Municipal is
needed at all.
Foothill officials hope community leaders will come to the
meeting, including members of the La Canada Flintridge City Council
and Chamber of Commerce, the Crescenta Valley Town Council and other
local community service groups.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in conference room 645 at
Verdugo Hills Hospital, 1812 Verdugo Blvd. For more information, call
(818) 790-4036.
* ROBERT CHACON covers La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta. He
may be reached at (818) 637-3239 or by e-mail at
robert.chacon@latimes.com.
