Seven elected officials confront water decisions

Some tough decisions affecting Yorba Linda in upcoming years will be made by seven lesser-known elected officials who've represented the city for a combined total of 70 years on four public agencies with jurisdiction over water supplies.

The decisions involve the availability and pricing of water used throughout Southern California, with costs expected to rise even as less water is used during historic drought conditions.

Most familiar to city residents are the five directors of the Yorba Linda Water District serving most of Yorba Linda and parts of Placentia, Brea, Anaheim and some unincorporated areas.

A near $33 million budget for 2014-15 pays for the acquisition and delivery of water from the north county groundwater basin and imported from the Colorado River and Northern California, as well as operation and maintenance of the sewer system throughout Yorba Linda.

Three directors – Phil Hawkins, Bob Kiley and Gary Melton – took office in 2010 and were scheduled for the Nov. 4 ballot but nobody filed to run against them, so they'll be appointed to new terms, as were Mike Beverage and Ric Collett, first elected in 1992 and 2004, when they didn't draw opponents in 2012.

The directors have put the district in the first of a four-stage conservation process, calling for a 10 percent usage reduction. Earlier this year, some remaining district land was annexed to the groundwater basin, which offers a less expensive supply than imported water.

Managing groundwater for 21 cities is the Orange County Water District, with 11 directors and a $206 million budget. Representing Yorba Linda and all or parts of four other cities is Roger Yoh, a Buena Park resident and Caltrans engineer first elected in 2004. His seat will be on a 2016 ballot; nobody opposed him in 2008, but he beat a 2012 opponent.

The basin is primarily recharged from the Santa Ana River, which the district has managed since 1933. The district holds rights to all Santa Ana River flows that reach the Prado Dam.

Two agencies handle imported water, and Yorba Lindan Brett Barbre is the local rep on both: the Municipal Water District of Orange County (seven directors and $194 million budget) and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (37 appointed directors and close to $2 billion budget).

Barbre, a Yorba Linda director 1998-2000, won the Municipal elections in 2000 and 2002 but wasn't opposed in 2006 or 2010. He faces Brea attorney Greg Diamond in November. Barbre was named to the Metropolitan post in 2009.

Metropolitan wholesales water to 14 cities and 12 districts, including Municipal, and Municipal sells to 28 smaller retail agencies, including Yorba Linda.

Directors earn per-meeting pay ($232 for Barbre, $221 for Yoh and $150 in Yorba Linda) and benefits, with Barbre earning the most ($71,008) and Yoh second ($40,202), according to fig-ures supplied by the districts.