Water Rate Hikes

The Metropolitan Water District has moved behind closed doors to come up with a 40% increase in the water rates that urban consumers in Southern California will face in the next year. Our rates are going to skyrocket because of the substantial reduction in water consumption resulting from conservation efforts in response to the five-year drought. Every homeowner, renter and business person and our elected representatives, from city councils to Gov. (Pete) Wilson, should pay close attention to the nearly secret deliberations of MWD in the coming weeks.

The real issue the governor and Legislature need to face is the use of water in California. Agriculture uses nearly 90% of the water in the state. Organized agriculture would like us to think that the water used in agriculture feeds not only Californians but much of the world. That’s nonsense and agribusiness knows it.

Of the top three crops in California, alfalfa uses 54% of the water while producing only 27% of the value. Grapes use only 15% of the water and produce 40% of the value. People don’t eat alfalfa--cattle do. And it makes more sense to import beef from the water-rich Midwest and South than to feed them precious alfalfa in arid California. Vegetables, fruits and nuts don’t require anywhere near the water that non-food crops like cotton do.

When your water rates skyrocket, ask your legislator and the governor why you are under the threat of mandatory water rationing while water is being used to irrigate government price-supported crops--especially cotton and rice. The surplus production of these crops is actually subsidized, benefiting the welfare farmers of California. When it comes to lecturing the Soviets about market economy, we should consider some of our institutions and policies. Reform begins at home.

The “March miracle” saved us from truly severe conditions from north to south. Just as Gov. Wilson began to address some of the fundamental issues regarding water use, we escaped facing the situation and buried our heads again. It’s time to look up and see what’s coming down--it won’t be another miracle--it will be an extraordinary rate increase from the Metropolitan Water District.

BOB HARTMAN, Lemon Grove