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Tiny Altadena water company meeting attracts hundreds as solvency hangs in the balance
When thousands of homes burned down in Altadena, critical infrastructure was also destroyed.
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Libby Rainey
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LAist
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Topline:
A tiny Altadena water company plans to continue finalizing a strategy to stay in business a year after the Eaton Fire destroyed its two reservoirs and the homes of 75% of its customers. No vote was taken at a meeting last week.
The background: Some Altadena residents were left with sticker shock after the small Las Flores Water Company, which only has about 1,500 customers, proposed charging an extra $50 a month for the next five years to keep from going bankrupt. After a recent meeting at which more than 200 residents showed up, Las Flores Board President John Bednarski said the board will "deliberate at one of our upcoming meetings to take into account the feedback that we got."
Why it matters: Not only did the fires destroy homes and businesses, but also critical infrastructure. Small private water companies, such as Las Flores and two others that serve unincorporated Altadena, have received limited insurance payouts and don’t have access to as many state and federal grants to rebuild, experts say.
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What’s next: Bednarski said the company is interested in consolidating with neighboring water companies and is lobbying the public water district it purchases much of its water from, Foothill Municipal, to allocate some state funding to restore one of the company’s reservoirs. Outside of charging customers a new surcharge, Bednarski said additional funding is needed not only to restore, but also shore up their infrastructure to withstand future fires, earthquakes and other disasters.
How to keep up with the changes: Customers of Las Flores can check the company’s website for the latest agendas on upcoming board meetings and votes.
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Go deeper: Water company's fire recovery plan gives Altadena residents sticker shock. Here's what's happening
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