Anaheim / Stanton : Households Will Get Sewer Reimbursements

About 2,300 Anaheim households will receive reimbursements as a result of the city’s decision to withdraw from the Stanton County Water District. When and how much will not be known for some time, however, officials said Wednesday.

The water district agreed Tuesday night to a plan calling for Anaheim to reimburse residents whose sewer services had been provided by the Stanton district and will now be provided by Anaheim.

Janet Morningstar, an attorney for the water district, estimated that Anaheim stands to gain $130,000 to $250,000 from selling its share of the district’s assets. Of the gains, 60% would be passed along to the 2,300 houses and apartment units in Anaheim formerly served by the Stanton district, she said.

Morningstar estimated that each household will receive at least $45.

John H. Roche, Anaheim maintenance director, said Wednesday that he was not sure when or how the Anaheim customers will be paid. The city is awaiting word from the water district regarding how much money its assets will generate. The payment to the city may not be completed for up to two years, Morningstar said.

The City of Stanton also is planning to pull out of the Stanton County Water District. Its request is scheduled to be heard by the Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission at its Dec. 3 meeting, Morningstar said.

Stanton does not want to use its reimbursement from the district to make refunds to customers, however, Morningstar said. Instead, the city wants to use the money to establish its own sewer department or to contract for the service.

The water district also serves part of Garden Grove, which has not yet asked to withdraw from the district.

The cities’ decision to withdraw from the water district is the result of a grand jury report recommending that municipalities provide their own services for parks, sewers and the like, eventually eliminating the special districts, Morningstar and Roche said.