On Nov. 25, at the Los Angeles County Water Board’s “pass through” hearing, our rates went up 3.4% per year over the next five years. This 3.4% is on top of the 5.2% general water rate increase that was approved in the 2012 election for a total of 8.6% next year. Over five years, this will be approximately 22%.
LADWP received only 40 letters from District 29 protest of this rate hike. I am sure a majority of these were from Big Rock. From the day the notice of rate increase arrived, six weeks prior to this hearing date, our Property Owner’s Association in Big Rock (BRMPOA) and neighbors on our Nextdoor community website have been trying to get more information.
By the time we figured out what was happening, there was not enough time to launch a full campaign of protest, but some press certainly would have helped get the word out across Malibu and generate more letters to the Water Board. The general water rate increase is all a result of voter apathy. That is why it is so important to vote and protest when we are petitioned. And even though I requested both The Malibu Times and Malibu Surfside News to print and cover the stories, I saw nothing. The City even hosted two community meetings and only six people showed up, with no press. We needed 51% of Malibu to oppose this increase by written submission. Even though it was a long shot to get 3,501 letters from Malibu residents, some support would have helped and been recognized.
Many of our own City Council and City staff, like Jennifer Brown, the Environmental Programs Coordinator, could supply your paper with information on this drought and the water situation in Malibu, along with the L.A. Water Department’s representatives on a regular basis. This was, and still is, an important communitywide issue that is not getting any proper local media coverage.
Jo Drummond
Big Rock resident and BRMPOA Board Member