Water District Decries Scandal Link
* Re “Study on Merging 4 Water Districts OKd” (Jan. 5): Tri-Cities Municipal Water District is greatly concerned over some of the information contained in the article. Quite candidly, we also cannot help but be somewhat offended by the inferences contained therein.
Our major point of concern is the linkage in the article between the financial scandals which occurred at the Santa Margarita Water District, and the four wholesale water districts which will apparently be the subject of the Grand Jury study. The wrongdoings of officials at the Santa Margarita Water District had nothing to do with the operations of the four wholesale water districts in the county. The linkage of wrongdoing from one agency to the next, without any factual justification for such, is unethical. How can one logically or legitimately justify the use of taxpayer funds for a consolidation study of four wholesale water districts on the basis of wrongdoing at one unrelated retail water district? There must be some other motivation and the voters deserve to know what it is.
Our second concern is that while the article referenced a grand jury study of water districts conducted in 1982, it failed to reference two follow-up studies which concluded that consolidation was not warranted.
It may be that in the ensuing 10 years, circumstances have changed such that it makes sense to take another look at the potential benefits of consolidation. As one of the districts to be included in this year’s study, Tri-Cities will of course cooperate fully in providing all requested information and in raising the issues we perceive to be relevant to such a review.
Tri-Cities is a unique, multi-county district which provides both wholesale and retail water delivery services to its customers. Tri-Cities supports efficient, accountable government. We just think that as this process unfolds, each district should stand individually accountable and that your readers are entitled to a full understanding of the circumstances under which taxpayer-funded studies of this nature are being conducted.
WILLIAM C. MECHAM
Board President,
Tri-Cities Municipal Water District
San Clemente
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