By comparison, over the last five years water rates within the city-owned system rose only 8.9 percent. Not factored into the city's future water rates is the probable annexation of legendary land speculator Don Diamond's mega development, Rocking K Ranch, located on the city's far southeast side. Diamond will draw blood before he agrees to allow his proposed billion-dollar development to be annexed into the city. The Rocking K could use all the free water infrastructure it can get, says Poelstra. And Diamond knows where he can get it.
Annexations do have their price tags.
Poelstra, an administrator for the Palo Verde Fire District, says when the Rocking K factor is computed, rates could jump as much as 80 percent over the next five years. According to the Council members who voted for the Central Avra Valley Storage and Recovery Project, the whole process doesn't make any sense. Even the Avra Valley project is a crazy option, they say. But, given the choices, they claim it was the best available option. But not every Council member thought the Avra Valley project is the best available option.