Raining on Katz’s Parade : WATER WATCH: To compromise is one thing, to gut is another

It was a surprise early this month when a reform measure that would clear the way for a free market in water decisively passed the Assembly. Now that the bill’s powerful opponents have recovered from the shock, its future is suddenly in doubt.

AB 2090, by Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sylmar), would allow farmers to sell to thirsty cities some of the water they might otherwise use to irrigate crops--whether the regional water agency that sells water to them likes it or not. The concept makes sense, but rural water agencies, which have always dictated terms for use of the water they deliver to farms, bitterly fought the legislation.

Their opposition has now temporarily sidelined this legislation. Last week, after a private meeting with Gov. Pete Wilson, Katz asked a Senate committee to postpone its final vote on the measure for a month so he can try to work out compromises with rural interests and the governor’s office.

The governor is worried that some farmers might be tempted to sell too much water to cities, thus endangering farm-dependent small businesses such as tractor or feed dealerships in nearby communities. But that’s not likely because the bill prevents farmers from leaving more than 20% of their land fallow through water sales.

But underneath the talk about the economic viability of farm communities may lurk concerns about the viability of the water agency bureaucracies, long accustomed to wheeling and dealing in surplus agricultural water, and about the future of some of the private water companies among which they broker. No doubt Katz’s bill will strip these powerful agencies of much of their clout. Perhaps Wilson is also worried that reform of California’s arcane water law is getting too far ahead of his effort to formulate policy recommendations on how best to manage the state’s long-range growth.

To address Wilson’s concerns, Katz will convene a series of meetings in the coming weeks with representatives from agriculture, environmental groups and the governor’s office.

But Katz must not allow his bill to be gutted. The governor should expedite passage of this important measure.