Realtor Steve Haussler said he was frustrated because for nearly a year he has been trying to gather details on the bond, which could affect water supplies to Altadena from the Las Flores Water Co.
Altadena resident Michele Zack said she was concerned about the agency’s lack of public outreach on the proposed property assessment. She added that no information or notices have been given to her or fellow residents about the upcoming election, where the bond issue will be decided.
Lori Paul, vice president of the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy, agreed that information about the bond hadn’t been getting out to residents.
The bond would help fund up to $65 million in upgrades to the agency’s infrastructure, and center mainly on recycled water and groundwater recharge projects.
If approved, the agency will sell about $20 million in bonds to pay for new water sources and the upgrades.
It would be repaid over 30 years through a monthly property assessment, which must be approved by voters.
If Foothill Municipal’s board approves the measure, mail-in ballots would be sent to owners of the roughly 25,000 parcels of land within the district. Agency officials said the proposed bond would help reduce the district’s dependence on more expensive imported water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which has been raising wholesale rates and limited shipments due to the state’s water shortage.
About 57% of the district’s water supplies are imported. Another 39% comes from groundwater, 3% is from local stream flow, and 1% is recycled water, according to Foothill Municipal, which is a major supplier to the Crescenta Valley Water District.
Foothill Municipal officials want to decrease the amount of imported water to 36% by 2020, while increasing groundwater supplies to 45%, recycled water to 16% and local stream flow to 3%.
Get in touch VERONICA ROCHA covers public safety and the courts. She may be reached at (818) 637-3232 or by e-mail at veronica.rocha@ latimes.com.
