Firm to examine importing possibilities

Janine Marnien

LA CRESCENTA -- The Crescenta Valley Water District is seeking the

help of a consulting firm to study the possibility of acquiring more

imported water as part of a continued effort to cope with a supply

shortage.

Preliminary reports from the firm, Navigant Consulting of Glendale,

are expected within the next few weeks, district General Manager Mike

Sovich said.

“Obviously ,if we’re looking at shortages of water supply, we’d better

turn over every rock and look at every available source,” he said.

Navigant Consulting will perform a $25,000 study, funded by the water

district, to determine what facilities and connection capabilities would

be needed to import water from the city of Glendale.

The district is looking at possibly buying surplus water from the city

at wholesale prices, an arrangement city officials have said they are

tentatively considering, Sovich said.

The Foothill Water District has also hired the firm to determine the

feasibility of increasing the capacity of the connection that delivers

water from the Foothill district to the Crescenta Valley district.

Rainfall levels have reached only a third of the annual average so far

this year. A total of 7.92 inches fell as of April 15, compared with

24.45 inches averaged each year. The chance of this year’s rainfall level

increasing significantly are slim, Sovich said.

“Most of the rainfall usually occurs between mid-November to March,

sometimes April,” he said.