Governor’s Signature Creates Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday signed into law a measure that will consolidate three water agencies in the Santa Clarita Valley into a single water district. The bill signed by Brown, introduced by State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Lancaster), merged the Castaic Lake Water Agency, which owns the private retail water service provider Valencia Water Co., and the Newhall County Water District into a new entity called the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency. The new agency will take over all services, cash, assets, liabilities and employees of the water entities, and be able to buy property and build projects. It will also deliver water from different sources at retail and wholesale prices, Wilk said he and his staff spent time with water professionals, community leaders, stakeholders and ratepayers to ensure reliable, clean water for the Santa Clarita Valley. “The governor’s signature validates the vision of our valley and affords ratepayers a water agency with a streamlined governance structure reflecting the values of transparency and accountability,” Wilk said in a prepared statement. In December, the boards of Castaic Lake and Newhall County voted to dissolve themselves to be replaced by the single water agency.