Don’t be a victim; you have the power (September 24, 2015)

The Town of Apple Valley is trying hard (and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars) to convince people that anyone who sees a drought surcharge on his bill from Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company is a victim of greedy business practices.

Not only is this untrue, but to the extent that it is successful it turns normal citizens into powerless victims.

Don’t fall into TOAV’s victimhood trap. If you see a drought surcharge on your water bill, you have the power to eliminate it through conservation and wise water use. You don’t have to wait until the next council meeting. You don’t have to wait until winter. You don’t have to sit around hoping that a government agency in Sacramento will rescue you. And you certainly don’t have to wait to see if TOAV succeeds in its attempts to seize Ranchos a year or two from now (if ever).

If you believe you are not using as much water as shown on your bill, you can request a water audit from Ranchos. It’s free. You can take steps to reduce your water usage. That’s free, too.

Best of all, you can start saving right away, and the results will appear on your very next water bill.

TOAV wants you to believe that paying hundreds of millions of dollars to buy Ranchos will solve your problems, even though it won’t reduce water rates, and TOAV will almost certainly have to raise rates and taxes after the takeover. At that point, you will be powerless.

Don’t give up your power. Be water wise today.

Greg Raven is Co-Chair of Apple Valley Citizens for Government Accountability, and is concerned about quality of life issues.