YUCCA VALLEY —
Representatives from the Hi-Desert Water District and Town of Yucca Valley
shared ideas on how a sewer system might be moved from planning to reality in
the near future during a meeting in the community center Tuesday morning.
After being told by the State Regional Water Quality Control Board recently
that Yucca Valley’s waste water discharge is on track for strict regulation
by the board, the Town and utility officials had strong incentive Tuesday to
produce results.
Town Manager Andy Takata made a three-part proposal in the meeting’s early
stages. He suggested the Town and district form a Joint Powers Authority for
wastewater management, that both entities commit money to get started, and
that the Town be the lead agency, “because we’re equipped to do that.”
Noting that the district has just lost its general manager and a board member,
Takata reasoned that the utility needs time to restore its leadership.
Council representative
at the meeting Frank Luckino reinforced the manager’s suggestion with:
“We’re in a better position to move this project.”
Water district board member Wade White called the Town manager’s proposal
“interesting,” and proceeded to offer a variation of his own. In White’s
scenario, the water district would follow through on its plans for a municipal
sewage system, and the Town would take responsibility for the non-centralized
sewage facilities, in particular, the package treatment plants being installed
by many new developments.
Town representatives demonstrated an eagerness for quick action. Luckino
repeatedly referred to the need for a sewer system as “urgent,” and Takata
said some businesses are declining to settle here because the Town doesn’t
have a system.
Council representative Lori Herbel described the sewer issue as a
“crisis.”
Water board president Bob Stadum took exception with Herbel’s term, saying
the crisis was political in nature and not based on an immediate threat to
groundwater safety.
Although he agreed with the need for expediting the construction of a system
to prevent contamination in the future, he considered the current crisis to be
only a result of the Quality Control Board telling the Town it had to get a
system in place without further delay.
Luckino described the sewer issue as a two-part process: build and
operate. Speaking for the town, he said, “We don’t want to operate a
facility.” Stadum dovetailed into the council member’s statement by
offering, “We’re willing and capable of running a facility.”
Joint powers a possibility.
Committee meetings like Tuesday’s gathering are for discussion purposes only
and are meant to give the district and Town governors a forum for exchanging
ideas.
No action is taken, although the council or district board may take action
based on information generated in the meetings.
One agreement reached by this group that likely will go before the water board
and Town Council in the near future is the formation of a joint powers
authority between the two. Everyone tended to agree such an arrangement could
prove practical, although discussion also indicated there would be some
differences in the details.
Whereas the Town contingent made a spirited offer to take the lead in the
project, the water district members preferred more discussion and pointed out
the district has already committed significant resources.
Showing definite differences in thinking, the Town showed a preference for a
single wastewater department to govern all wastewater facilities, including
package treatment plants. The district members, on the other hand, suggested
it might be more practical to commit package-plant operations and maintenance
to a contract agency.
On the subject of funding, both sides agreed this was a critical issue.
Neither group could state dollar amounts, but the Town did indicate its
readiness to commit money “up front.” District members were not so
forthcoming, although the district has already invested some money in the
sewer system by way of land acquisition and engineering.
Another meeting is scheduled for June 19. In the meantime, both groups will be
discussing this matter in their own chambers. The Town Council will talk about
it at its strategic planning meeting 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Mesquite Room
at the community center.
