Lompico faces dire water supply deficit

EDITOR,
There is great confusion about water resources involved with the proposed merger of the Lompico County Water District and the San Lorenzo Valley Water District.
The Lompico district possesses an “Appropriative Water Right” that defines the district’s allowed diversions of water from the creek. The State Water Resources Control Board would never issue a new water right to send water out of Lompico for any possible purpose. A merger with SLV can only result in water flowing into Lompico, not out.
The confusion over this issue has created the fantasy that a merger with SLV would result in a loss of water from Lompico. This is impossible under state law.
Everyone needs to understand that Lompico has a severe water supply shortage. Lompico is notorious for drying up the creek during droughts in its attempt to produce water. This problem was demonstrated dramatically during the 1986-to-’92 drought, when the Lompico district had to truck water in tankers into the canyon each morning for weeks, at great expense. This Lompico water shortage was enshrined in the state code with a State Health Department Order issued in 1977 during the 1976-77 drought limiting the district to a maximum of 500 water connections to its system. The district has also been threatened for its violations of the State Fish and Game Code.
Since the 1986 drought, a major new 500-plus-foot-deep well was added to the system. It did not solve the problem.
Voters need to re-elect the current Lompico Water board of Lois Henry, Rick Harrington and Bill Smallman. If all three are not re-elected, the district will be faced with a deadlocked board and the fundamental financial and water supply problems of this public utility will not be solved.
Kevin Collins, Felton