The Rainbow Water District has voted to oppose a proposed merger with the Fallbrook Water District. The decision shows the challenge of trying to consolidate how water is managed in California.
Gov. Jerry Brown is pushing to make it easier to consolidate the state’s complicated system governing water distribution. But the reaction of North County's Rainbow Water District to a plan to merge with the Fallbrook Water District shows how difficult that could be.
Even though a merger could save the two districts about $1 million a year, Rainbow’s board voted against a plan put together by San Diego County’s Local Agency Formation Commission.
LAFCO is due to vote July 6 on the merger after years of discussion and modifications to meet Rainbow’s concerns.
But Tom Kennedy, Rainbow's general manager, said his board remains opposed.
“Once the commission considers the broad opposition from the people who pay the bills here, the ratepayers, if they oppose it, then why are we trying to force on them what they don’t want?” Kennedy said.
He called the plan a hostile takeover of a rural district by a more urban, bedroom community. Though Rainbow is a larger water district than Fallbrook in area, covering 80 square miles, it serves fewer people because it is less developed.
“Our agricultural users are concerned that their interests on the board might be diluted," Kennedy said. “And in these situations where water is of extreme importance to them, they want to make sure the district that serves them is representative of them, not of a bedroom community.“
LAFCO's executive officer, Michael Ott, said in an email there will be an opportunity for Rainbow residents to protest the decision.
“If LAFCO approves the reorganization then a protest hearing will be held in about 90 days," Ott said. “If 25 percent or more of the voters or landowners file written protest, then an election will be held. If less than 25 percent protest is filed, then the 7/6 LAFCO action is affirmed.”
