Business as Usual Will Devastate Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD)

In this upcoming November 4, 2014 election voting for status quo will have devastating consequences. Our state is in a serious drought. It’s on everyone’s minds, ‘What will year four bring?’ If it isn’t on your mind, it should be. There is absolutely no guarantee that water will keep coming out of the tap indefinitely without restrictions. During a recent EVMWD and Lake Elsinore joint meeting, the General Manager for EVMWD John Vega commented that their water supply is maxed out.

In 2013 only 20% of EVMWD water was supplied by local wells. That means that we rely heavily on imported water. The giant wholesaler that provides drinking water for half the California population has drained two-thirds of its stored supplies as the state contends with a punishing drought, officials said.

Without plentiful rain and snow in coming months, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California could consider cutbacks to its regional distributors next year. If such limits are approved, that could lead to rationing or cuts for households in portions of Southern California.

“We’ve gone through a little more than two-thirds of our storage in the last three years,” Jeffrey Kightlinger, the agency’s general manager, said in a speech in downtown Los Angeles. “Obviously, this it can’t go on indefinitely.”

At the current rate, billions of gallons in remaining agency reserves could be exhausted in about 18 months. The agency built up those reserves over time as a hedge against the state’s periodic droughts.

But those supplies have tightened as the state has experienced a combination of sparse rainfall and unusually warm temperatures -- 2014 is on track to be the hottest year in California since record-keeping began over a century ago.

There are devastating consequences for keeping the status quo. We need to elect George S. Cambero who has over 37 years of experience in water resources. He is the only candidate that can be proactive because he has the knowledge and experience and knows where the water is. The other two candidates have both stated that they will have to “look into” alternative ideas to keep safe and reliable drinking water flowing.

I recently received campaign literature from the “official” desk of Mayor Marsha Swanson and Mayor Pro Tem Ben Benoit. There are a few things that I want to point out about this “official” letter.

• The letter is as stated on the bottom a paid endorsement to re-elect the Incumbent. They are free to put their trust in whomever they choose but I don’t trust anyone who has to pay an endorsement.
• This letter is not from their “official” desk at City Hall. There is no city seal and while they are entitled to their opinion usurping their authority to suggest that this is “official” in nature is a blatant misrepresentation of their position. Truth in advertising it should say ‘From the home office of Marsha and Ben’.
• This letter should also disclose that:
  Marsha Swanson receives $1,000 each month as a paid consultant and is essentially an employee of EVMWD. (This past week the Employee Association voted to endorse George S. Cambero.) Marsha Swanson should know as an official city council member about the rules regarding Conflict of Interest. There is an obvious cut and paste for the signatures. Is that really their signature?
• Do they endorse the candidate that has the best interest of their constituents in the forefront of their mind?

This is not a time for mediocrity. Maintaining the status quo should not be tolerated. As ratepayers and customers we need someone in office who knows not only the local but the regional water systems. George S. Cambero knows the history of water connections and our water rights. Water management was his job at EVMWD for over 32 years. He was a valuable employee and we will benefit from all of his water production expertise and knowledge.

He is the only candidate that can focus the attention to water resources that are not currently being utilized efficiently because he knows where the water is.

With our water resources continuing to be a challenge throughout California, we need to develop a Regional Recycled Water Master Plan, to assure that we will have water today and into the future. George has a plan.

His lifelong work experience at EVMWD has provided him with the insight to succeed as our Director. He knows where the water is and what we need to do to create a Ground Water Supply Master Plan for today and into the future.

Keep up to date with water issues visit www.georgecambero.com/links