12-287 RESOLUTION NO. 12-287
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF MENIFEE OPPOSING
SAN DIEGO COUNTYWATER AUTHORITY'S COST-SHIFT
WHEREAS, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), is a retail and wholesale water supplier
serving 755,000 residents in seven cities and unincorporated areas of Eastern Riverside County,
and dedicated to serving its retail customer agencies, residents and businesses, by delivering a
reliable, safe, high-quality water supply at a reasonable cost; and
WHEREAS, The City of Menifee supports EMWD regional cooperative approach to water supply
reliability and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California's (MWD)open and transparent rate
setting process whereby the rates are adopted by a vote of the MWD Board of Directors,
representing every region within MWD's service area; and
WHEREAS, San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA)filed a lawsuit in June 2010 challenging
MWD's water rates and charges and claiming that SDCWA is over-charged, despite their own
declaration that they pay 25 percent of MWD's revenue and receive 25 percent of the water supply;
and
WHEREAS, eight MWD Member Agencies joined the lawsuit to support MWD's rate structure and
protect their rate payers; and
WHEREAS, an outside report from the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation has found
that SDCWA investments in water independence and declining water sales are significantly
impacting water rates to SDCWA rate payers; and
WHEREAS, The City of Menifee supports EMWD's local investments that increase regional water
supply reliability such as those undertaken by SDCWA, to the extent those costs are not borne
disproportionately by ratepayers outside of their local service area; and
WHEREAS, SDCWA has launched a negative public relations campaign associated with their
lawsuit to divert attention from their water supply decisions and the increasing opposition to the $3
billion cost-shift that would be forced on MWD Member Agencies and their ratepayers in Riverside,
San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties if SDCWA is successful; and
WHEREAS, EMWD has a responsibility to protect its customer agencies, residents, businesses and
communities in the EMWD service area from this unfair and unjust cost-shift that provides no new
water supplies or benefits.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The City of Menifee strongly opposes the SDCWA lawsuit
against MWD and resolves to continue to protect its customer agencies and their ratepayers from
this unfair cost shift which would dramatically increase water rates with no additional benefits.
Resolution No. 12-287
BE IT RESOLVED that the effective date of this Resolution is August 7, 2012.
ohn V. Denver, Mayor
ATTEST:
Au�
Kathy Bennett, City Clerk
APPRO S T R
Jose cher, Ci y y
r
John V.Denver STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
Mayor COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
Thomas Fuhrman CITY OF MENIFEE )
Mayor Pro Tern
I, Kathy Bennett, City Clerk of the City of Menifee, do hereby certify that the
Wallace W. Edgerton foregoing Resolution No. 12-287 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City
Councilmember of Menifee at a meeting thereof held on the 7`h day of August, 2012 by the
Darcy Kuenzi following vote:
Councilmember
Ayes: Denver, Edgerton, Fuhrman, Kristjansson, Kuenzi
Sue n ilmenber Noes: None
Councilmember
Absent: None
Abstain: None
Kathy Bennett, City Clerk
29714 Haun Road
Menifee,CA 92586
Phone 951.672.6777
Fax 951.6793843
www.cityofrnenlfee.us