LANDERS AREA WATER WILL COME FROM BIGHORN AS OF JULY

On July 1, water coming out of the taps at more than 650 homes in the Landers area will be from Bighorn Desert View Water Agency. Yesterday, the Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCO, unanimously approved the dissolution of the County’s Special District 70W-1 and annexation of more than 5,700 acres into Bighorn’s area. Residents began pushing for the change in March 2013 when the County’s special district announced it would increase its water rates 20 percent. The water flowing through the taps on June 30—before the change-over—and on July 1-after the change-over-will be the exact same water, as Bighorn Desert View Water Agency and the County’s Special District 70W-1 get their water from the same source. So far, LAFCO has not received any protests about the dissolution and annexation. Bighorn’s General Manager Marina West said there is a 30-day reconsideration period, in which residents can protest the change. Then ballots will be mailed to property owners and registered voters. Only those who are opposed to the annexation by Bighorn will have to mail in their ballots. West said if fewer than 25 percent of the property owners and voters protest the change, then the annexation will continue. By the start of the 2015-16 fiscal year, the transition to Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency will be complete, and those who were getting their water from the county should see their water bills decrease once they are getting Bighorn’s water.