Tri-Cities Water District Loses Bid to Avoid Takeover
The Tri-Cities Water District in South County will no longer exist after Nov. 1 as the result of a state commission vote Wednesday.
The Local Agency Formation Commission voted unanimously, with one member abstaining, to deny the district’s attempt to keep from being folded into the city of San Clemente.
San Clemente officials have tentatively promised not to raise rates.
Commissioners said the move made sense because most ratepayers live in San Clemente, and because it removed an unnecessary layer of government.
The district argued that LAFCO’s process for deciding the change was flawed, and said it set a bad precedent by breaking up a regional water wholesaler and giving it to a city.
There are 16 other consolidation and merger requests for water and sewer districts pending with the commission.
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