CITY TO TAKE ROLE IN WATER COMMITTEE : DISTRUST OF AGENCY LINGERS.

Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer

A distrustful City Council has voted to take part in a Castaic Lake Water Agency committee, but already has Plan B in the works.

The split 3-2 vote came Tuesday night, only after council and community members registered strong suspicions about the water agency, which is the wholesaler of state water for the Santa Clarita Valley.

The water agency committee, to be made up of community members, will meet for 90 days to offer input on the agency's plan to judge the supply and demand of water in the valley.

``I doubt very seriously whether there would be any true citizens on it anyway,'' Councilwoman Jan Heidt said in explaining why she opposed the city joining the water agency's effort.

The city and the water agency have long been at odds - at one point it was suggested that Santa Clarita take over the utility. More recently, Castaic successfully sued to block the city's massive redevelopment/earthquake recovery plan because the water agency could lose significant property tax revenue.

Bob Sagehorn, general manager of the water agency, said he hopes the

formation of this committee will be a first step in improving the relationship.

``I think it could and should be better,'' he said Wednesday.

But Tuesday, the council heard from community members such as Bob Lathrop, a member of the Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment and a frequent water agency critic.

Lathrop told the council he believes the CLWA intends to gain control of all water resources in the valley, solidify its grab through legislation, and then use the water for the 25,000-home Newhall Ranch proposal or sell it out of the valley.

``The city needs to protect itself with respect to the water supplies that are available to it,'' he said.

The wording of the council motion was indicative of the hesitation, and offered a backup proposal. The council voted to seek membership on the water agency committee, with the condition that it would form its own group if its members are ``shut out'' or if it finds that the committee doesn't meet the city's needs.

Mayor Clyde Smyth, and council members Carl Boyer and Jo Anne Darcy voted to work with the CLWA committee while council members Heidt and Jill Klajic dissented.

Sagehorn said the suspicions are unfounded.

``There's being more made out of it than need be. The water business is pipes and pumps and plumbing and making sure the supply is adequate,'' he said.

William C. Cooper, the president of the water agency board, said Castaic is in the first stages of writing its Integrated Water Resources Plan. It will assess the valley's water demand and supply, finances, and finally the need for future facilities.

The first phase should take five months and the entire plan should be complete within a year, Cooper said.

``It will be an excellent forum for them to understand those issues,'' Cooper said.