Please Vote for Bob Vetter for the Water Board

By Bob Vetter

• protect the water supply
• keep water rates as low as possible
• make the water system as safe as possible in a natural disaster
• remove chloramines from our water

There are many challenges facing the water district today. Three I will concentrate on here are: the cost of water, the aging infrastructure of the district, and the safety of the water supply in an emergency.

Of primary concern is the cost of water. I have worked to keep rates as low as possible in the face of rising costs from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which is Pacifica's sole supplier of water. Last year the SFPUC raised rates to all 22 suburban water districts by 16%. The SFPUC has many more increases on the way as the Hetch Hetchy water system is renovated. This is a $4.6 billion plus series of projects which can be billed to the suburban users as the work is completed. In addition, the property tax revenues which the district has counted on in the past, have been cut to zero by the state legislature. These items have caused a sever strain on water rates through out the bay area.

To battle these increases in costs and cuts in revenue, the board has put off or canceled more than $3 million of reconstruction and maintenance projects. In the long run this is bad for the water district but required in today's financial environment. Also, the retirement benefits offered to all new employees have been cut dramatically. This will save large amounts of money in the coming years. The district now does most of the construction work formerly contracted out in-house. Having our crews trained to do this work not only saves money but improves safety in an emergency by the district being self-sufficient. I was deeply involved in all of these actions and I am committed to doing everything possible to keep costs in check.

Pacifica's water infrastructure is at an age where everything is wearing out at the same time. It has been a slow and costly process to rebuild aging tanks, pipes and pumps, but good headway has been made. There is still much to do, however. Several tanks have been found to have failed linings, which protect the steel from rust. This problem will need to be addressed soon before the rust causes the destruction of the tanks.

Also, I have concerns, as do many, about treating water with chloramines. I have pushed to have the issues studied much more in depth by multiple scientific communities. As of now there is little science behind the addition of chloramines to the water. This must change.

In the time I have been on the Board of Directors of the NCCWD I have been a great steward of the district and of the money paid to it by its customers - you the voters. I have a proven record of using my best judgment to balance the competing needs of the district within a tight budget. Please allow me the opportunity to continue this work.

I will work to

• protect the water supply
• keep water rates as low as possible
• make the water system as safe as possible in a natural disaster
• remove chloramines from our water.