Who is the San Gabriel Water Quality Authority?
The past few weeks, Tania Chatila and I have been compiling a list of all the water agencies in the San Gabriel Valley. Easier said than done.
One of the agencies that has intrigued me most is the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority, which was formed in 1999. Recently, Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, authored legislation extending the life of the authority. It was scheduled to end at 2010, but that was extended to 2017.
The authority was formed by the Legislature to "address the critical need for coordinated groundwater cleanup programs in the Basin," according to its Web site. I'm not exactly sure what that means, how much money the authority receives and what the authority's track record is.
They have a board meeting tomorrow, which I plan on attending. Maybe then I will have a better understanding of why the Legislature just extended its lifespan. It employs seven people, and there is also a seven-person board, including Rosemead Councilwoman Margaret Clark:
Greg Nordbak
Chairman
Representing cities with water pumping rights
City of Whittier
Bob Kuhn
Vice-Chairman
Representing Three Valleys Municipal Water District
Jim Byerrum
Treasurer
Representing water producers
Margaret Clark
Rosemead Councilwoman
Secretary
Representing cities without water pumping rights
Carol Montano
Board Member
Representing San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Michael Whitehead
Board Member
Representing water producers
San Gabriel Valley Water Company
Alfonso "Al" Contreras
Board Member
Representing the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District