D.A. Asked to Investigate Water Services Merger
Mesa Consolidated Water District officials have filed a complaint with the district attorney’s office asking for an investigation of the pending merger between Irvine Ranch Water District and Santa Ana Heights Mutual Water Co.
In the complaint, Mesa officials question the legality of the consolidation, saying it was not reviewed and approved by the Local Agency Formation Commission, the body that oversees changes to public agencies.
The complaint is the latest of several attempts by Mesa Consolidated officials to block the merger between IRWD and the small, private water company that serves Santa Ana Heights.
When IRWD made an offer to buy the company, Mesa Consolidated made a counteroffer. When the Santa Ana Heights board accepted IRWD’s offer, Mesa Consolidated sought an injunction to block the deal, but that was denied by an Orange County Superior Court judge earlier this month.
Mesa Consolidated officials say they are concerned that if IRWD buys Santa Ana Heights, it will increase its pumping from the area’s ground-water basin.
If that happens, Mesa Consolidated officials said, they fear that their own wells would either dry up or yield lower-quality water.
IRWD officials insist that the merger would not harm Mesa Consolidated’s operations in any way.
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