City Officials Oppose Bill on Water Districts

Fearing state legislation could wash away local control, the City Council is opposing Assembly Speaker Curt Pringle’s plan to merge the Los Alamitos County Water District with 24 other Orange County agencies.

The bill, AB2109, by Pringle (R-Garden Grove) would consolidate all county sewer and water districts into one large agency. The bill has passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee and awaits further hearings.

But city leaders argue a “mega agency” could not provide sewage services to residents any cheaper than the Los Alamitos County Water District does.

Currently, the district’s 8,000 customers in Los Alamitos, unincorporated Rossmoor and portions of Seal Beach and Cypress pay $1.33 a month for waste management. The money goes to the district via property taxes, so residents do not receive bills.

“Districts that have top-paid executives might save money by consolidating, but not ours,” Councilman Ronald Bates said. “We have a part-time employee and we have reserves.”

Water board member Art DeBolt said the district is run efficiently because it contracts services and only has one employee, a general manager. The district also has $1.3 million in the bank and owns property on Katella Avenue valued at $1 million, he said.

Although the council has no jurisdiction over the water district, it hopes to persuade lawmakers in Sacramento to reject Pringle’s bill and preserve local control.

Council members also voiced opposition to the bill because it targets sewer and water agencies in Orange County, but not in any of the state’s other 57 counties.

“I don’t think this is playing fair,” Councilwoman Alice B. Jempsa said.

City Manager Robert Dominguez and Mayor Robert P. Wahlstrom are expected to write letters of opposition to the bill this week.