What weighs less than 130z. Fees for use of publicly built aqueducts and canals are focus of dispute.
Critics fear unforeseen consequences similar to the energy crisis.
Both sides in the dispute over SB 1029, set for a hearing soon in the state Senate Appropriations Committee, agree that the bill could have a significant impact on the state's economy and lifestyle, particularly in thirsty but semi-arid Southern California. The problem is that the two sides disagree on how the bill would work and whether it would solve or exacerbate the state's water problems. Officials at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, water wholesaler to 16 million in six counties, say that the bill could plunge water into the same kind of disarray as energy. MWD General Manager Ronald Gastelum says the bill, by curtailing the amount the water district could charge for use of its aqueduct and the rest of its delivery system, could leave the agency without enough money to pay for upkeep and expansion of its storage capacity and infrastructure. Reasonable rates, Perata insists, will lead to a robust market for willing sellers and eager buyers.