More SGVMWD Woe: No Rain Barrel Rebates for Sierra Madre?

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The Metropolitan Water District is offering rain barrel rebates of $75, which basically makes them free. MWD client Pasadena Water and Power is offering rain barrel rebates for $100, which is even more generous. This MWD rebate is available in all of their service areas, which does not include Sierra Madre.

That is unfortunate because with El Nino on the way, and water in ridiculously short supply here, such a thing would be very useful. Good for conservation as well. And, as the gentleman in the picture is happily showing us, quite stylish if you happen to be down on your luck. Shoulder strap optional.

Locally we have the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District, which has been supplying Sierra Madre with all of that controversial chloramine enriched stuff that has apparently been playing a role in the rupturing of so many of the Water Department's timeworn pipes. Something we have heard so much about over the last couple of years.

But the SGVMWD is offering no rebates on rain barrels. Not a farthing's worth. Here is how the MWD describes its rain barrel rebates (link).


Sounds pretty good, right? And there are other water districts that are doing this as well. Even Azusa Light & Water has something going on with rain barrel rebates (link).


So here is the catch. Our man Tom Love and the SGVMWD isn’t offering any of these rain barrel rebates, even though practically everyone else is. Pretty much the only water district around that isn't doing so. Which, given that this is the Christmas season, is kind of Scrooge-ish if you think about it. And given that we are now about to receive the first truly significant rains in quite some time, rather shortsighted as well.

C'mon Tom! Cough up some rain barrel rebates, will you?

A short water district primer

Ever wonder what the difference between the MWD and the SGVMWD might be? I'll take a stab at that for you.

Sierra Madre is sort of a member of the SGVMWD, but the SGVMWD is not a member agency of the MWD. So the MWD won't even talk to Sierra Madre. Here is a reader comment that spells out some recent consequences of that one.

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So you know, Pasadena is a member of the MWD. Arcadia is a member of the upper San Gabriel Water District, which is a member agency of the MWD. In the distant past some shortsighted cities refused to be part of MWD because they didn't want to share in the cost of construction. Those cities are kind of screwed now. Even San Marino is a member of MWD. The knuckleheads in charge way back then that didn't want to pay for any utility construction are Alhambra, Azusa, Monterey Park and, of course, Sierra Madre.

However, even Azusa got their hands on some rain barrel rebates. So go figure. Just don't go asking for one here. Our guy Tom Love and his SGVMWD just are not that into it. Meaning all of that water pouring off your roof this winter will just flow on out of your gutter pipes and out to sea.

Today's "No UUT" petition update

Here is the latest e-mail from Earl Richey:

We're still a little short. We do not want the Registrar's Office to deny us the right to vote for the second time (verification of signatures is only an opinion). We will be at Kersting Court from 4:30 to 5:00 on Saturday. In addition and happy gathers will be knocking on doors and gathering more signatures on that day from 12:30 to 5pm. That will be the last day we'll be gathering signatures.
Has anybody heard how the Police Department union effort to get their "Prohibition On Alternative Law Enforcement Service Providers" petition signed is going?

Not a lot of news from that quarter.

Last night's Planning Commission meeting

If you blinked you missed it. The whole thing was over that quick. I blinked and saw none of it. If anyone was a witness to any of that meeting, and anything important happened, let us know.

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