Richard Atwater

By Brandon HENSLEY
Richard Atwater, a former Crescenta Valley Water District board member, has been appointed as the new executive director of the Southern California Water Committee.
In its press release sent Monday, the committee said Atwater was chosen after an extensive search. He replaces interim director Ron Gastelum, who will still be active in the coming year for the committee.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to help out everybody in Southern California get a more reliable water supply from Northern California,” said Atwater on Tuesday.
Indeed, Atwater acknowledged the work that he and his collaborators have ahead of them, including expanding local area water resources and passing a statewide water bond in 2012.
Atwater has over 35 years of experience on the matter. He has been a member of the California Water Commission and has served on several task forces on water recycling and desalination. This past year, he stepped down as general manager of the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. He is still a board member for the Foothill Municipal Water District. Atwater simply called his new job “a continuation of what I’ve been doing.”
In the release, SCWC Chariman Charles Wilson said, “Rich will provide a strategic vision and strong voice for Southern California and our members.”
Having a former board member for CVWD could prove to be beneficial for Foothill residents, Atwater said, a voice for a region with less population than that of other areas.
“I’ve talked to a couple [current CV board members] already and they’re thrilled that I got the appointment,” Atwater said. “It’s very prestigious. To have a local person here who has been working on something that affects 20 million people, but it’s just as important to people here in La Crescenta or La Cañada as it is in San Diego or Anaheim.”
The SCWC was founded in 1984, and is an organization dedicated to informing Southern California about water needs and resources.

By Brandon HENSLEY

The Crescenta Valley Water District approved its budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year during its board meeting Tuesday night, and signs may point to a rate increase for customers.
The district adopted a scenario in which revenues will be based on 5,000 acre-feet of water sold. Projections came out to total revenue at just over $8 million, while expenditures would total just over $8.2 million. Last year the district sold 4,400 acre-feet of water to its customers.
That puts monetary projections for this year in the red, which means a rate increase may be coming. The district said a 10% increase is likely, including a slight raise in the $12.40 per month fixed-charge.
The district held a workshop inside the La Crescenta Library Community Room on July 13 and made a PowerPoint presentation to its board of directors detailing revenue projections and other expense categories.
Budget concerns have been high for some time. CVWD absorbed a 20% rate increase last September, which was approved by Metropolitan Water District, a supplier of Foothill Municipal Water District, which imports to CV. That increase was not passed to CVWD’s customers.
Earlier this month, FMWD approved a budget where it will absorb 75% of Metropolitan’s rate increases.
Customers may still have a say in the potential increase from CVWD. In accordance with Prop. 218, district officials have to notify the public of these types of changes within 45 days, and a vote can be taken whereby if over half the vote is against it, it will not pass, which would then affect CVWD’s budget even further. More information is expected to come on this issue this fall.
On Wednesday, secretary-treasurer Ron Mitchell said keeping costs to a minimum is always on the district’s mind, and while it doesn’t have control over how much it spends on purchased water, it does its best on things it can control.
“The things we can control is how much we’re spending on labor, how much we’re spending on maintenance issues throughout the district,” he said. “I think it’s important to let customers know that we’ve done everything we can to keep expense levels at or below what they have been over the last year.”
The district is aware that customers may sometimes be caught off-guard at news such as rate increases, and on Tuesday the board members talked about reminding the public that all are invited to the board meetings, and specifically encouraged all to come to the budget workshop that was held. Public attendance last week was minimal.
“Historically they show up in the rate meetings, not the budget meetings, every year. The budget doesn’t mean much to them but when it comes to the rate hikes then they come out in force, ” said board president Kathy Ross.
The board also approved its wastewater budget. Projections for that budget are steady with minimal changes to come.
The next board meeting  is scheduled for Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. at the CVWD, 2700 Foothill Blvd.

By Geghard ARAKELIAN

A presentation during the Crescenta Valley Water District board meeting on Tuesday marked one of the many steps that have been taken by the power company to manage accounts online.
During the presentation, board members were given an in-depth overview of a web portal which will allow CVWD customers to pay their bills online.
Thus far, the criterion for setting up an account is minimal. The portal will ask customers for an email, a password and their utility account number.
Once the above information is submitted the user will be able to manage their accounts, pay bills and even add monetary credit, should a customer want to pay for several upcoming bills automatically.
One specific feature will allow users to view their water usage from up to 12 years ago using charts and graphs.
The CVWD speculates that with this technology staff should even be able to handle account payments over the phone.
In order to pay bills customers will only have the option to use electronic checks. The ability to pay by using credit cards may be added in the future.
Those who wish to create or manage an account can do so by clicking a link at the upper right portion of the CVWD’s main webpage, when the system launches in the weeks to come.
In other news the board addressed a complaint made by residents who reside by the water reservoir on Ocean View Boulevard.
The letter alleges that vegetation around the reservoir has not been maintained.
The board discussed in length its willingness to come to a common ground with residents while complying with budget issues.
Board members also noted that watering the vegetation in excess around the reservoir would pose a problem in light of the drought.
The issue was forwarded to the Community Relations Committee for further consideration.

Water board candidates debate in October in a forum at Rosemont Middle School. Richard Atwater, closest to podium, was elected in November but resigned in January.

By Robin GOLDSWORTHY and Mary O’KEEFE

Kenneth Putman has been appointed to the Crescenta Valley Water District board of directors it was announced today, Friday.  Putnam was one of six applications being considered by the board.
CVWD board president Kathy Ross said various backgrounds were found in the pool of candidates, but it was Putnam’s experience that ultimately made him the board’s choice.
Putman is a registered civil engineer, has many years of experience in water and wastewater industries and has served on the board of directors of the West Basin and the Central Basin Water Associations, according to a release by CVWD.
“He has a lot of work experience with various water districts and we’re hoping with that experience he can bring ideas to the district,” Ross said. She added that Putnam is familiar with the matter of water conservation since it’s a “whole California issue.”
“He has a good understanding of how to maintain a [water] system and the importance of a good staff to do that as we go into these tight fiscal times,” Ross said, “and yet he talked about budgets and that is another area that is crucial right now, with all the expenses that the (CVWD) is going through.”
Ross noted that Putnam seems ready to help the board undertake another of its biggest challenges: Glendale residents that CVWD services but who are unable to vote in water board decisions.
“From talking to him he seems to understand that situation and what it might entail to reach a solution,” she said.
Ross said that the board is confident in its decision. “I think we all feel very good about the knowledge that he brings.”
Putman will fill the seat that was recently vacated by Richard Atwater who resigned in January after a complaint by a community member to the Los Angeles County district attorney.  In his letter of resignation Atwater stated that, “in early December an anonymous person in La Crescenta complained to the L.A. County district attorney regarding my holding office on the board of directors of both the Crescenta Valley Water District and Foothill Municipal Water District as incompatibility of office.”
Incumbent Atwater had recently won re-election to the seat. From Jan. 29 to Feb. 26 residents of La Crescenta who were interested in filling the vacant board seat were asked to send in their letter of interest.  By Feb. 26, six candidates were vying for the position. On Thursday, the remaining members of the water board met in a public meeting to interview the applicants.

Foothill Municipal Water District announced that it is considering a real property assessment to raise money to pay for capital improvements to the district’s water system. The district’s board on Feb. 16 approved exempting and excluding certain properties from the real property assessment should the district proceed with the assessment. To be excluded from the assessment, property owners must apply to the district based on the criteria below. Applications can be found at www.fmwd.com or by calling the district at (818) 790-4036.

Property owners may apply for the partial or whole exclusion of the following properties: Lands with conservation easements; lands where owners certify that they will not develop the land, and lands where there are ordinances and general land use plans prohibiting development.

If the property owner later develops the land, they will need to pay the retroactive parcel charge plus interest.

Other properties will be automatically excluded or exempted from the assessment. These include public agencies including the public schools in the service area; lands owned by mutual water companies and privately regulated water companies; parcels having a charge less than $1.00 annually; property owners if the retail purveyor is completely independent of district will not be assessed.

Parcels exempt or excluded from the assessment will not be eligible to vote regarding the levying of the assessment. Parcels partially benefited will have the weighted voting based on the amount of benefit.

The district will not process exemptions and exclusions submitted after March 9.

The real property assessment is to help finance the Local, Reliable Water Supply Program. This program was necessitated by three years of drought in Northern California, eight years on the Colorado River watershed and a decision by a Federal Judge that severely restricted pumping in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta due to the diminishing population of the Delta Smelt and has had impacts to the Foothill area.

By Brandon HENSLEY

Crescenta Valley Water District customers can expect their rates to increase over the coming years, explained former CVWD board member Richard Atwater in Tuesday’s meeting.

Atwater, who resigned from his position last month, was an audience member this time, and presented a slide show on the Metropolitan Water District’s 2010-11 budget and rates. Rates are projected to rise 5% to 10% in the years ahead, with some years exceeding over 10%.

“We’re in for a series of years in which the water rates are going to increase,” explained CVWD general manager Dennis Erdman. “Water is going to get more expensive.”

Metropolitan serves 19.5 million people from Ventura to San Diego. They sell water to Foothill Municipal, which is a wholesale agency to Crescenta Valley.

As is commonly known, water is already scarce in Southern California, and the region is not getting the transports of water from Northern California to Southern California. The Colorado river shed is seeing low to normal conditions as well, said Erdman.

“External supplies are dwindling,” Erdman said, noting that the rise of electricity costs is also affecting water rates.

The board also spent a lengthy time discussing the process of replacing Atwater. Eight applicants have submitted their intent on taking the job, and the board of directors will hold preliminary interviews with each of them on Tuesday. They will then hope to cut the number in half and interview those applicants again March 11.

If everything goes according to plan, the board will have selected a new member, and that person will be on the job at the March 16 board meeting.

The biggest action item of the night was in discussing MTBE, a contaminant from gasoline that was found in one of  CV’s wells, said Erdman. MTBE is an additive to gasoline to make gas less smog producing. But some service stations have had the substance leak from tanks, which then made it into the ground. It is soluble in water.

“It’s contaminant that when it gets into one of your wells, it has a very turpentine smell to our customers,” said Erdman.

The well in question reached a dangerous level of contamination two years ago, and now Erdman said the district is “seeking to recover funds from the oil companies related to the contamination.”

By Brandon Hensley

In an attempt to circumvent problems threatening the Foothill area’s ongoing water crisis, directors of the Foothill Municipal Water District proposed a $20 million bond this week to help aid the agency’s $63-million plan to renovate its infrastructure and reduce local dependency on imported water.

If passed, the bond would have long term implications for Crescenta Valley residents.

Directors from the Crescenta Valley Water District and the La Cañada Irrigation District were on hand for the public meeting, held Monday at La Cañada Presbyterian Church. Foothill Municipal General Manager Nina Jazmadarian presented information to identify possible solutions of water rationing problems that the Foothill area currently faces.

Residents continue to face growing rates and limited shipments of water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California because of the state’s water shortage. Foothill Municipal imports nearly 60% of its water from Metropolitan.

According to Dennis Erdman, general manager of the CV Water District, the renovations would improve storm water capture, recycled water use, and the promotion of additional conservation as a way of making Foothill Municipal more reliable, as well as its delivery system. It would also save money from the costs of importing water from Metropolitan. .

The plan calls for the dependence on imported water to be reduced by one-third to one-half by 2020

Some improvements to the district’s nearly 60-year-old infrastructure, which would cost $7 million, are already underway, and would be paid back through bond proceeds.

If the board of Foothill Municipal approves the measure, a mail-in vote would take place between the area’s property owners. Erdman said there is no time table set for the ballot currently.

“The first thing they want to do is provide more public education on the need for these measures,” Erdman said. “Once they believe the public is properly informed, they could put forward the measure out for consideration.”

If the bond is approved, the $20 million would be paid for over 30 years in the form of a monthly parcel tax, which would equate to roughly $48 per year.

“It seems like it’s a smart thing to do,” said Danette Erickson, a CV Town Council member who attended the meeting. “But I’m trying to understand all the ramifications and what our options are. The only option if it doesn’t pass is for more rationing and higher water rates, so this recycling does seem like a practical thing to do.”

A question was asked at the meeting as to why there is a need for more water at a time when La Crescenta residents are conserving (CV Water District customers are relegated to two landscaping irrigation days per week). The board acknowledged the conversion of single family homes to multi-family homes and mansionization as a reason.

“At times, they’ve not been agreeing with that,” she said. “They’ve not been wanting to say that. But they said it this time and I thought that was interesting.”

Erdman tried to put things in perspective. “What was portrayed … certainly makes sense in terms of the big picture. We need more reliability. How to get there requires careful consideration and will be difficult financially because we’re talking about projects that carry a high price tag.”

Crescenta Valley Water District Board of Directors election results are in and only one incumbent has kept his position.   Kerry Erickson won with 888 votes reflecting 25.12% of the total vote cast, followed by James Bodnar with 697 votes, 19.72% and incumbent Richard Atwater with 695 votes, 19.66%.

The board of directors is a five member governing body for the Crescenta Valley Water District.  Issues like water conservation, rate hikes and water recapturing were some of the hot button issues that were brought up during the campaign.

For the first time in recent years there were more candidates than seats available for the board perhaps reflecting the growing awareness of the dire situation that Crescenta Valley along with the entire western states are facing with it’s water supply.

The new board members will hit the ground running when they are sworn in on Dec. 8.  The meeting will be a public forum on rate hikes.