VILLA PARK : Water District OKs Citizens Committee

Responding to residents who assailed Serrano Irrigation District’s new water conservation program, the district board has voted to create a citizens advisory committee to review the program and suggest changes.

About two dozen residents crammed into the Serrano Irrigation District’s tiny board room Monday to protest the new program, saying many people would have to cut their water use by 60% to 70%.

Under the plan adopted March 1, all water customers are entitled to equal amounts of water at the normal rate, regardless of the size of their homes or amount of water used in the past.

Since the price of water doubles above a set limit for all homes, residents say the policy penalizes owners of larger homes while those who own smaller homes are allotted more water than they need.

“All the people I’ve talked to are aghast” about the new plan, said resident Bob Patchin. “Every meter gets exactly the same quota. The five empty houses across the street have the same quota as I do. (District officials) should have done more homework and they should be willing to put the quotas in on each meter based on its past use.”

Resident Susan Waldrip said that on her street, a home on a quarter-acre lot would be allowed to use twice as much water as it does now and still fall within the district’s formula, while a home on a half-acre would have to cut back 68%.

District General Manager David Noyes said he agrees that the plan is not fair to everyone but added that it is best for the city as a whole. The five district board members felt the plan was appropriate because almost all of the district’s 2,200 customers live on half-acre lots.

“We didn’t just come to this plan overnight. We felt that this was the best plan for Villa Park, realizing that it would not be fair for everyone,” Noyes said. “Is there a fair way? There really isn’t. This is the most fair of the unfair.”

Under the present formula, customers are entitled to a set amount of water that varies from month to month based on seasonal demand. The cost of water above that limit doubles to $1.44 per 748 gallons. The district calculated the monthly allotments based on the total amount of water used by district customers over the last two years minus 20% and divided that amount equally among its customers, according to Noyes.

Four Villa Park schools and a group of condominiums in Orange that buy water from the district will have separate guidelines, he added. Also, the district will consider appeals based on special circumstances.

After two hours of often heated public comments, the board voted to form a citizens advisory committee that will make its recommendations before April 15, when billing for the new program begins.