Dear editor,
The Sentinel article by Nicholas Ibarra attempts to compare mangoes and jackfruit. First of all, both Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley are mostly level, heavily populated areas. Therefore, water does not have to be pumped far and wide to reach many customers. That is, of course, less expensive than water delivery in the mountainous and far-spread San Lorenzo Valley. In SLV, water (whether from the river or sub-surface reservoirs) has to be treated to governmental specifications, then pumped all the way up the mountain ridges to be safely stored in huge water-tanks, from whence it is delivered to customers. SLVWD maintains more miles of pipes PER CUSTOMER than the other purveyors. And it is still a bargain at just over a penny a gallon. Do the arithmetic! And thank you, SLVWD!
Julie Hendriks, Boulder Creek