Water Board should open the process, slow down

We greatly appreciate The Acorn highlighting the proposed standards for Malibu Creek and their impact on our sewer service ratepayers in the Las Virgenes region.

All of us love the unique natural surroundings of this area, and we all can get behind the idea of cleaner water and an improved environment. As public representatives of local residents, however, we are compelled to seek assurance that costly regulations will bring results. This nexus has never been made for these new regulations.

The standards proposed by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for Malibu Creek are precedent-setting. Techniques applied in many of the studies are quite new, and the findings have never been subjected to independent review, which is standard for good science. Yet, the regional board is rushing for adoption—first releasing the standards in November and proposing their adoption in March.

Much is at stake. Sewer rates could easily double or triple as a result of these changes. Beyond impact for this utility and our sewer service customers, the new standards will affect every local city and resident, as they are applied to landscape runoff, storm flows and animal holdings.

Given the drastic nature of the changes and the likely impacts throughout the region, it is reasonable to expect the regional board to open the process and slow down. Hold public meetings in our watershed, demonstrate the reasoning behind this proposal, open the process to scrutiny and inquiry, and conduct your deliberations in the presence of those who will bear the costs. That’s simple good government.

We urge concerned residents to contact the Regional Water Quality Control Board to communicate their concerns and become involved in the process.

Ann Dorgelo, president

Las Virgenes Municipal

Water District