Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09141993 - 1.167 RECI-l'.7-u � ,� 4 /47 93 July 23, 1993 RECEIVED 2 0193 Honorable Tom Torlakson, Chairman Board of ery Supisors CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA CO. Contra Costa County 300 East Leland Road, Suite 100 Pittsburg, CA 94565 Re: WATER POLICY MANAGEMENT Dear Chairman Torlakson: As you are aware, water policy is a matter of great concern to the residents of Contra Costa County. The last six years of drought have brought about a great deal of concern regarding water supply, water rates and water management. Specifically, a controversy has arisen among water agencies (wholesale and retail), wastewater operations and those public entities with jurisdiction regarding management of water. We believe existing policies fail to address the needs and interests of the residents . of significant portions of Contra Costa County. We also believe that these policies raise serious long term environmental concerns. The purpose of this letter is to ask the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors to hold hearings as the Board under the authority of the " Contra Costa County Water Agency Act" (CCCWA). The CCCWA, enacted in 1957, stated in section 25: The Legislature hereby finds that in the County of Contra Costa there are urgent County- wide problems of water conservation, development of water resources, and securing adequate water supplies which are unique to Contra Costa County, and that the county water districts, municipalities, and irrigation districts which now exist within portions of the county, have acquired property and works, developed a limited water supply, and have incurred indebtedness, but have been and are unable alone economically to plan and develop an adequate water supply, or adequately and feasibly to conserve the water supply of the agency; that to accomplish these ends it is necessary to have a political entity coextensive with the geographical limits of the entire agency; and that there is a great scarcity of water within this agency for municipal, irrigation, and other uses and there is an urgent need that an adequate supply of water be obtained. Investigation has shown conditions in the county to be peculiar to it and it is hereby declared that general .law cannot be applicable to the agency and that the enactment of this special law is necessary for the planning, conservation, development, distribution, control and use of said water for the public good and for the protection of life and property therein. Those stated findings in 1957 are even more applicable today in 1993. cc: 6,9 dna 6mEoR Honorable Tom Torlakson, Chairman July 23, 1993 Page 2 The CCCWA created a separate water agency administered by the County Board of Supervisors to. further the interest of County citizens. We ask the Board to explore the water needs within the County and consider whether those needs merit further action. Among the concerns and questions we have are: 1. Are there existing water supply entitlements available for distribution within and to the County which are not being used to serve the present and long-term needs of the County? 2. Are some water agencies stating (and if so, why?) they do not have: a) Sufficient supplies for existing customers and b) Enough supply to serve our future needs? . 3. Are some present water rates unevenly applied and if so, why? Are existing rate structures infringing on our ability to meet essential environmental needs? 4. Could water recycling serve the County's interests, and has this source been properly considered as part of the water supply plan? 5. Is there additional wastewater supply and conveyance capacity? 6. Are existing wastewater conveyance facilities being properly considered as a Contra Costa asset? 7. Have local storage options been adequately considered? 8. Is there necessary coordination between water providers and the County with regard to the implementation of the general plan? General and specific planning has been made based on commitments of public utilities to provide service. These commitments unfortunately have not been secured by reason of policy changes in administration of the public agencies. The resultant chaos in planning and reliance upon service responsibilities requires attention and more effective long term reliance. i . Honorable Tom Torlakson, Chairman July 23, 1993 Page 3 9. What is the impact upon the County's and City's ability to engage in long range planning when water agency policies and supply commitments are subject to sudden reversal depending on shifts in political ideology? The above items are only a limited inventory of the concerns we have regarding water and wastewater issues in the County. We respectfully request that the Board of Supervisors convene public hearings and make determinations regarding these and other related issues with the goal that all water resources available to Contra Costa County be appropriately utilized in the public interest. Respectfully submitted, C, John A. Nejedly A 42 Charles W. Brydon c Richard G. Higgie John W. McFarland John W. May b !��Z�- 1.✓�� �� Susanna M. Schlendorf John B. Reilley Anthony A. Dehaesus