Judge denies cities' reimbursement claim

DOWNEY - A Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied a motion last week filed by the cities of Downey, Signal Hill and Cerritos demanding to be repaid for water purchased during four previous years, the Water Replenishment District of Southern California announced Tuesday.According to the WRD, the court's decision reaffirms an earlier ruling that bars award of any potential damages until a trial and final judgment is reached. No trial date has been set. "The cities have falsely claimed for several months that the pending legal case was final and all that remained was the award for damages," said WRD board president Albert Robles. "The Court's decision makes it clear that the case is not over and far from it as a trial date has not even been set yet." The three cities stopped making payments to the WRD last year after alleging their rate hikes violated state law.

********** Published: May 31, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 07