DANA POINT

Months of planning for the consolidation of two local water agencies neared the end last week when the South Coast Water District’s board of directors approved the impending takeover of the Tri-Cities Municipal Water District.

Tri-Cities will fold into the Coastal Municipal Water District; then South Coast will assume Tri-Cities’ operations to reduce costs by eliminating the need for a middleman.

South Coast General Manager Michael Dunbar said the Tri-Cities administration and the district’s employees will remain in place, and customers aren’t likely to see any difference in their water service or their utility bills.