Applauds Hager’s CVWD Coverage

Reporter Justin Hager’s coverage of CVWD’s public hearing on proposed rate increases (Sept. 23) is an excellent example of good journalism – thorough and fair, yet demonstrating critical analysis as well.

Reporter Hager did not just take the superficially rosy picture that CVWD presented of water rates only increasing from 1 cent/gallon to 1.2 cents/gallon, Hager used CVWD’s rate calculator to show “…[average] users would see their water bill go up by about 26% over three years from around $$238 dollars per year to [?bi-monthly?] about $300.”

And whereas CVWD presented a chart, which appeared to show that CVWD’s rates are in the middle of peer water districts, reporter Hager dug deeper into this chart and showed that actually CVWD skews to the higher end.

CVWD does not help its case when it attempts to sugar-coat the bitter pill it is asking Crescenta Valley residents to swallow. Aging infrastructure is a real and difficult problem, but a 26% rate increase is a real and difficult problem as well. CVWD needs to honestly acknowledge this, so that CVWD and the Crescenta Valley community can work together in addressing both problems.

Marilyn Tyler
La Crescenta