Mesa Water District

Last updated
Mesa Water District
Mesa Water District Logo.jpg
Special district overview
FormedJanuary 1, 1960 (1960-01-01)
Headquarters 1965 Placentia Avenue Costa Mesa, CA
Special district executives
  • Marice Depasquale, President
  • Shawn Dewane, Vice President
  • Jim Atkinson, Director
  • Fred Bockmiller, Director
  • James Fisler, Director
  • Paul Shoenberger, General Manager
Website https://www.mesawater.org/

The Mesa Water District is a special district that manages water distribution to most of Costa Mesa, a portion of Newport Beach, and John Wayne Airport. [1]

Contents

History

The city of Costa Mesa, having been incorporated in 1953, provided municipal services such as a water supply to its residents. In 1957, the city held a special bond election for the construction of water-related infrastructure, which failed. [2] During this period, various other water districts had been in operation in the Costa Mesa area, including the Newport Heights Irrigation District (formed 1918), the Fairview County Water District (formed 1946), and the Newport Mesa County Water District (formed 1954), which had previously replaced the Newport Mesa Irrigation District. [3] With the multiple districts and the city having overlapping boundaries, Governor Edmund Brown, Sr. signed the Costa Mesa District Merger Law in 1959, which combined the districts and city services into one. [3] [4] Officially designated as the Costa Mesa County Water District, the district began operations on January 1, 1960. [5]

In 1978, legislation was adopted to change the name to the Mesa Consolidated Water District. [4] [6] In January 2013, following a $500,000 rebranding effort, the district again changed their name to the Mesa Water District. [7]

Board president Tom Nelson resigned from the board following 17 years of service in 1995 following continued controversy that he was not a resident of the district. [8] Despite the secretary of state's office confirming he was a valid candidate, he resigned.

In 1996, Mesa Water pursued purchasing the Santa Ana Heights Mutual Water Company. Following a competing bid by the Irvine Ranch Water District being accepted by the company's shareholders, officials at the Mesa Water District filed a complaint with the Orange County District Attorney's office, questioning the merger's legality as it had not been reviewed by the Orange County LAFCO. [9] The Orange County LAFCO later voted to approve the merger between the company and Irvine Ranch. [10]

Board members James Fisler and Shawn Dewane faced controversy in 2014 for charging a stipend following attendance at special and political events not necessarily related to their service on the Mesa Water Board. [11]

Mesa Water District began exploring the possibility of a merger with the Costa Mesa Sanitary District in 2016. [12] Mesa Water was in support of the merger, with the Sanitary District opposed to it. [13] The question of a merger was put before the voters in an advisory measure, 2016's Measure TT. The measure passed, but as an advisory measure had no legal effect, and the Costa Mesa Sanitary District remained opposed and sued the Mesa Water District. [14] In 2018, the lawsuit was finally settled. [15]

Mesa Water has faced controversies following rate increases in 2010, 2017, and 2022. [16] [17] [18]

Governance

Mesa Water District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors, each elected to a four-year term. [19] Each director is elected by geographic division and has been since the districts formation in 1960. [3] The current members of the Board are:

PositionBoard MemberDivisionEntered officeTerm ends
PresidentMarice DePasquale320172028
Vice PresidentShawn Dewane520052026
DirectorJim Atkinson419982026
DirectorFred Bockmiller119962028
DirectorJames Fisler220092028

References

  1. ↑ "ABOUT MESA WATER" . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Resolution 411 - Water Bond Election - Declaring Returns". October 1, 1957. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Costa Mesa District Merger Law" . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Zint, Bradley (January 15, 2013). "Mesa Water name consolidated". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Our History" . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  6. ↑ "California Water Code § 33207" . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  7. ↑ Reicher, Mike (April 13, 2013). "Mesa Water's $500,000 rebranding". The Orange County Register . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  8. ↑ Hamashige, Hope (1995-08-11). "Mesa Water Board Chief Quits". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  9. ↑ Hamashige, Hope (1997-07-25). "D.A. Asked to Investigate Water Services Merger". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  10. ↑ Hamashige, Hope (1997-10-02). "Agency OKs Water District Annexation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  11. ↑ Reicher, Mike (2014-03-16). "Special-district officials get cash for concerts, funerals, parties". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2025-12-23.
  12. ↑ Money, Luke (June 10, 2016). "Could Costa Mesa's water and sanitary districts become one?". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  13. ↑ Casiano, Louis (July 29, 2016). "Mesa Water approves placing ballot consolidation measure; sanitary district opposes". The Orange County Register . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  14. ↑ Money, Luke (December 21, 2016). "Despite voters' OK, Costa Mesa sanitary district 'not interested' in merger talks with Mesa Water". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  15. ↑ Money, Luke (July 24, 2018). "Sanitary and water districts reach settlement in legal fight, ending talk of merger". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  16. ↑ Zint, Bradley (April 27, 2013). "Mesa Water District responds to report, critics". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  17. ↑ Santana Jr., Norberto (November 29, 2017). "Santana: Something Smells at The Mesa Water District". Voice of OC . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  18. ↑ Cardine, Sara (January 13, 2022). "Mesa Water rate hikes, capital charge approved by directors". Daily Pilot . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  19. ↑ "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" . Retrieved January 2, 2024.
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