The meeting was part of an extended outreach campaign directed by Foothill Municipal after initial community outreach on the proposed property assessment met a tepid public response. District officials had originally planned to float the proposed bond to voters last fall, but after two poorly attended community forums, the board voted unanimously in October to postpone going to the ballot.
Foothill Municipal officials said the proposed bond was an essential part of the district’s plan to reduce its dependence on imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which continues to raise wholesale rates and limit shipments in response to the state’s water shortage.
“I don’t know how long our customers are going to be satisfied if every January we are talking about rationing,” said Richard Atwater, a board member for Foothill Municipal and Crescenta Valley water districts. Crescenta Valley customers are currently under mandatory water conservation measures limiting outdoor irrigation to two days per week.
While acknowledging the high price tag, district officials said it would help the agency avoid high rates and penalties from Metropolitan and save on energy costs incurred by pumping the imported water. Foothill Municipal imports nearly 60% of its water from Metropolitan.
Under the proposed infrastructure improvements — mainly recycled water and groundwater recharge projects — district officials hope to reduce the district’s dependence on Metropolitan water by one-third to one-half by 2020.
