MWD

“Clouds Over the Water” (editorial, March 6) is a typical case of Met-bashing. Your comments will serve mainly to further agitate the relations of the Metropolitan Water District with the farmers, federal government and legislators.

Metropolitan has the responsibility of supplying about three-fifths of the water needs for the 15 million people living on the coastal strip between Ventura and San Diego. Metropolitan must represent our interests and be our advocate for safe and reliable water supplies. Those “irate” farmers in the Imperial Valley (incidentally including a large parcel owned by the Bass brothers, who bought the land principally to reap profits from the sale of water) stand to receive more income from the water they sell to us than from the crops they produce with the water. Since state and federal laws require beneficial (efficient) use of water by both agricultural and urban users, what water is it that they have to sell?

The most worthy part of your comments was the last paragraph, where you urged the Metropolitan board to get on with hiring a new manager and then let him/her manage.

ART BRUINGTON

Irvine