If Santa Clara Valley Water wants to buy the 4-S Ranch for its groundwater rights, it must alert ratepayers.
Regarding your article, “Seeking more water, Silicon Valley eyes Central Valley farmland” (Mercurynews.com, May 28): If Santa Clara Valley Water is serious about purchasing the 5,257-acre 4-S Ranch near Los Banos in order to secure its groundwater rights, they need to be forthcoming about the cost to their ratepayers.
I’d guess that if the project provided environmental benefits, many customers would keep an open mind.
If the water just enabled more commercial development — exacerbating traffic and the housing crisis — it would fall flat.
Ratepayers aren’t willing to subsidize projects they don’t want, and Proposition 218 prohibits such financing.
Given Valley Water’s lawsuit over the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan and loss of support from the environmental community, they will likely have an uphill battle ahead.
Peter Drekmeier
Policy Director for the Tuolumne River Trust
Served on the Palo Alto City Council and Santa Clara Valley Water Commission
Palo Alto
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