KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Lawmakers plan to take another look at SB 634, the Santa Clarita Valley Water District bill, on September 1, according to Assembly Appropriations Committee officials Wednesday.
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Senate Bill 634, a bill looking at water retail and supply in Santa Clarita, reorganizes the Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) and the Newhall County Water District (NCWD) into the Santa Clarita Valley Water District (SCVWD) to provide, sell, manage and deliver water at retail or wholesale within the district’s territory.
“We’re not going to have a decision until September 1,” Wilk said, noting he was meeting with lawmakers in a 1-on-1 capacity to explain the details of the bill, and that he had waived an opportunity to present the bill.
The bill, authored by Senator Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, also provides for the dissolution of the Valencia Water Company and the transfer of the company’s assets, property, liabilities, and indebtedness to the SCVWD, as specified.
The bill was amended in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Monday, with the following changes, according to an analysis on LegInfo:
1) Require that if SCVWD establishes a contract with the Public Employees” Retirement System (PERS), it must be the successor agency to CLWD and NCWD for purposes of continuity of membership in PERS for employees.
2) Require the SCVWD ratepayer advocate to be independent from SCVWD staff and to advocate on behalf of customers within the districts’ boundaries to the board of directors (Wilk).
3) Authorize SCVWD, through a pilot program, to award contracts for recycled water program capital facilities construction projects over $500,000 using the design-build construction process or using construction manager at-risk contracts if, by September 30, 2018, SCVWD has entered into a community workforce agreement with the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, as specified.
The second amendment was brought forth at Wilk’s suggestion, he said, addressing concerns that had been brought forth over the new agency’s potential powers.
He added that he was “cautiously optimistic” about the bill’s passage in the committee.
Lawmakers analysis of the bill also noted: “The fiscal impact of the bill looked at in the Appropriations Committee, potentially in the low hundreds of thousands annually beginning in 2018-19, as a result of the dissolution of the Valencia Water Company (a private entity) and transfer of its assets, property, and liabilities to SCVWD (a public entity). There would also be an unknown loss of property tax revenues related to this action.”
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If passed, SB634 would reorganize the Castaic Lake Water Agency(CLWA) and the Newhall County Water District(NCWD) into a single entity called, the” Santa Clarita Valley Water District”(SCVWD). This mega merger(potentially effective January 2018) has incited serious concerns for residents of the Santa Clarita Valley. With the passage of this bill, there would likely be a significant water rate hike to customers, as well as a redistribution of water which would affect current water supplies. Simply put, CLWA, by controlling all the Santa Clarita water retailers, could charge the community anything it wants, and send the water anywhere it wants. It had already proposed a 17% rate hike on its currently owned Valencia Water Company, and is proposing increases for its Santa Clarita Water division. And given that CLWA is currently over 300 million dollars in debt, is it wise for them to expand their company? CLWA has another motive worth noting; they’ve made an agreement with Newhall Land & Farming Company to supply water for future housing developments(Newhall Ranch has recently been approved for 21,000 new households).
SB634 is basically a “water grab” that would permit CLWA to pump ground water anywhere, allowing Valencia Water to serve Newhall Ranch which is currently outside its service area. It is legislation that is too risky for the water consumers of the Santa Clarita Valley. Among those opposed to SB634 are the Sierra Club, The Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment(SCOPE), and many community members.
This bill is NOT about water supply except for Newhall Land and Farming since it will make sure that Newhall Ranch has access to everyone’s ground water. This bill will not get us more water in a drought. It will just make sure Newhall Ranch gets water and we all have to conserve more. So why that picture of Castaic Lake??? State water imports will not change.
And what about democracy Sen. Wilk? That’s all right with you to dissolve a well-functioning voter district without a public vote? Why are we so worried about voter turn out when our state legislator works s hard to make sure no one can have a vote on keeping their water district?