Weighing in on water (June 3, 2015)

On Tuesday, May 26, I attended the Apple Valley Town Council meeting at the urging of an ad in the Daily Press, to learn more about water facts.

I was shocked to learn that a Canadian company actually owns Apple Valley Ranchos water company and that it was bought overpriced from Carlyle Group, a global enterprise.

The name of the present owner is Liberty Utilities; they want to recover their losses resulting from the purchase by exorbitant rates to the users. (Editor’s note: The planned sale of Ranchos to Liberty Utilities is not yet final. Liberty Utilities is a Canadian-owned company with a widespread presence in the U.S.) The Town Council has offered to buy Apple Valley Ranchos at fair value.

Article V of the United States Constitution gives the town the authority under process of law to take back the water rights that belong to the people.

The attorney for Liberty Utilities threatened to make costly legal fees to the taxpayers of Apple Valley; it sounded like extortion to me. His fees are paid by water users.

— Richard Turnbull Apple Valley

Source: Daily Press