By Mary O’KEEFE

If you missed last week’s Crescenta Valley Water District budget workshop, the public will have another opportunity to share their opinion on the matter in June.

CVWD staff is currently preparing its recommendation concerning a rate increase. It will share that recommendation with the CVWD Board of Directors at the next regular meeting on April 10 at 7 p.m. at the CVWD office, 2700 Foothill Blvd. The board will consider that recommendation. There will be a public hearing during the June 12 CVWD meeting. After that meeting, property owners and others who pay for water will receive public notices in the mail.

It does appear there will be a request for an increase in the budget that will be passed on to consumers. The need for the increase, said Christy Scott, CVWD spokeswoman, comes from continued infrastructure improvements and also because CVWD has to purchase more water from the Metropolitan Water District.

In the past, CVWD had more ground water available leaving it more self-sufficient, but the drought has changed that.

“The ground water [level] is so low,” Scott said.

There is some debate as to whether the drought is over; however, whether it is or not it will take time for the ground water to replenish after the multi-year drought.

After the public comment meeting on June 12, the board will take 14 days to analyze the recommendation and public input and then vote on the final budget on June 26.

  Mary Okeefe