Rosamond Community Services District 3179 35th Street W Rosamond, CA 93560 Tel: 661-256-3411 Fax: 661-256-2557 E-mail: rcsd@qnet.com www.rosamondcsd.com

Q: Why did the Rosamond Community Services District file this lawsuit? A: The RCSD filed this lawsuit - in response to lawsuits already filed by two large corporations - to protect the present water service and future water supply for all of Rosamond, including its families, schools and businesses. This lawsuit is about equality - bringing together all parties to ensure everyone has equal access to groundwater, in order to protect Rosamond's natural resources, prevent corporate monopolies and keep water rates affordable. Q: What is Rosamond trying to accomplish with this lawsuit? What is its goal? A: Our number one priority is to ensure the citizens of Rosamond have access to a reliable supply of safe, affordable water - now and in the future. Rosamond's goal in filing this lawsuit is to protect our fair share of water, prevent corporate monopolies and keep water rates affordable. Q: Who are the two large corporations in this lawsuit? A: Bolthouse and Diamond (owned by Grimmway), two Bakersfield-based carrot corporations that have grown to control roughly 90 percent of the nation's carrot market in the past decade. Together, these two corporations have estimated annual sales in the $900 million range. Q: Why are other Valley landowners involved in this lawsuit? A: Rosamond is following the judge's court order to find an efficient and cost effective-way to include all Valley landowners in the process in order to protect their water rights. The public water suppliers are not including those people who already get their water from a public water supplier. In fact, one of the landowners in the Antelope Valley has already filed a class action suit seeking to join all persons who own parcels one acre or more within the basin. Thus, even if the public water suppliers had not filed a class action motion, it is likely that all landowners would be brought into the case through class action procedures. Q: Why are Rosamond's own citizens being called into this lawsuit? A: More recently, the RCSD is following the judge's court order to implement an efficient and cost effective-way to include all Valley landowners in the process in order to protect everyone's water rights. Additionally, the public water suppliers in this litigation are not proposing to include Rosamond's water customers or those people who already get their water from other public water suppliers in the class action. Q: How have the defendants responded to the lawsuit? A: Again, Rosamond's lawsuit is in response to lawsuits filed by these large corporations who have a water monopoly and want to continue taking more than their fair share of water. The defendants want to pump as much water from the Antelope Valley Basin as they can use. If this occurs, there is insufficient water in the Basin for Rosamond families and businesses. The defendants are creating a monopoly, arguing that Rosamond residents should have to pay a higher cost for imported water from the State Water Project. Q: Aside from Rosamond Community Services District, are there any other plaintiffs? A: Yes. Los Angeles County Waterworks District No. 40 filed a complaint other public agencies, such as the City of Palmdale and the City of Lancaster, have filed cross-complaints to protect the residents' water rights. Some landowners have also filed cross-complaints, and one landowner has filed a class action complaint. Q: Does the entire Rosamond Community Services District Board of Directors support this lawsuit? If not, who is not in favor of the lawsuit? A: Yes, the entire Board of Directors supports this lawsuit. Q: Do Rosamond residents support this lawsuit? A: The residents of Rosamond elected its Board of Directors who is supporting this lawsuit to prevent a corporate takeover of the community's water supply that would be detrimental to its quality of life. Q: Where does Rosamond currently get its water supply? A: Its current water supply is a mixture of local groundwater and imported State Water Project water purchased through the Antelope Valley East Kern Water Agency (AVEK). Rosamond began using imported water to conserve its water supply and to ensure the availability of a long-term supply for the community. Unfortunately, the two large corporations in this lawsuit have held the Rosamond community hostage by monopolizing our water supply and continuing to irresponsibly pump more than their fair share from the groundwater basin. Additionally, water purchased through AVEK is not guaranteed because of state reductions in water allotment to customers and possible natural disruptions such as earthquakes. Q: You claim that Rosamond is losing water due to the corporate agriculture expansion to the north. How much water do you claim Rosamond has lost/is losing? A: Historically, Rosamond has pumped about 3,000 acre-feet of water from the Antelope Valley per year to serve the community, which it should have a right to do. If these two large corporations continue their pumping, Rosamond will lose its ability to use that share of water and will be forced to import more water. Q: What proof does Rosamond have that the corporations and other parties are the cause of its depleting water supply? A: More water has been taken out of the Antelope Valley than has gone into the Valley for many, many years. Historic water well level data shows that as farming pumping increases, water levels begin to drop. This is particularly true in the past ten years, when these two large Bakersfield-based carrot corporations have come in and began pumping large amounts of water, thus dramatically depleting our local water supply. Q: Are Rosamond's water rates going to increase to help pay for this lawsuit? A: The RCSD is working to keep our water rates affordable by protecting the taxpayers' water supply and reducing our dependence on imported water. If Rosamond is forced to purchase additional imported water, it will result in higher water rates. If we don't protect our water supply, our customers will be faced with skyrocketing rates, like Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Rosamond has already been forced to increase rates because of the lawsuits filed by these two corporate giants. Q: How is Rosamond Community Services District paying for this lawsuit? A: A portion of the regular water service charges collected is being applied toward the lawsuit in order to keep water rates affordable. Q: Isn't this lawsuit merely a ploy by Los Angeles County to garner more water to feed its booming housing developments? A: No. There will not be sufficient water in the Antelope Valley without a lawsuit like this one to protect the supply. L.A. County and the other public agency water suppliers, like Rosamond, have a responsibility to secure safe water supplies for their growing communities. Q: How long is Rosamond willing to continue this lawsuit? A: We are committed to continuing this lawsuit as long as it takes to protect the water rights that benefit all of Rosamond, including families, schools and businesses. Q: If Rosamond is unsuccessful with this lawsuit, what will it do to ensure the community has enough water in the future? A: Rosamond will be forced to purchase additional imported water, which will result in higher water rates. The Rosamond Community Services District is working to keep our water rates affordable by protecting the taxpayers' water supply and reducing our dependence on imported water. If we don't protect our water supply, our customers will be faced with skyrocketing rates, like Los Angeles. Q: What is the State Water Project? A: Operated by the State's Department of Water Resources, The State Water Project is the nation's largest state-built water and power development and conveyance system designed to supplement local water resources. The SWP extends from three recreational lakes in Plumas County to its terminus in Riverside County. The system has numerous storage facilities (reservoirs and lakes) that capture water from the surrounding watershed and store it for later use by downstream users. Its pumping plants move the water through canals, aqueducts, underground pipelines, siphons, and tunnels to destinations statewide. Back to Home Page