It’s a month before the November election--and Cal Am’s JUDGMENT DAY. Suddenly VICTORIA KAPLAN, the national organizer for Public Citizen’s “Water for All” Campaign, bursts into CAL AM’s smoke-filled room!

The light of day (or is that TRUTH?) shines in. She’s armed with a new report, published by the D.C.-based consumer protection group. in big letters:

“California and Kentucky Cities Should Fire Corporate Water Giant.”

This report exposes egregious behavior of CAL AM’s parent company worldwide! It says:

“RWE’s got a HORRIBLE track record of environmental pollution! RISKY business ventures! And DISMAL customer service! Customers are really unhappy!”

Kaplan throws the heavy report at the water company execs, who cower and cry. It falls open to a section titled, “The public challenge to buy back their water…”

MEANWHILE:
In 2002, the San Mateo County coastal town of Montara won an important PUBLIC VICTORY against Cal Am’s sister company, prompting other communities to follow suit. Montara water rates had skyrocketed, and the delivery system was old and leaky. (Hmmm…sounds familiar). So residents voted--with 80 percent in favor--to approve a $19 million bond to take back the water utility. But the public-versus-private-WATER battle didn’t end in Montara…

Stockton residents (also fed up with rising rates and poor customer service) are fighting water privatization in the courts! And they’ve got Attorney General BILL LOCKYER on their side!

And In Lexington, Ky., a citizens’ group called Bluegrass FLOW is trying to take over KENTUCKY AMERICAN WATER.

In Felton, a tiny town in the Santa Cruz mountains, CAL AM customers recently approved an $11 million bond to finance a public buyout.

And in Buffalo, N.Y., when American Water wanted a double-digit rate increase, the city council decided to not renew the company’s contract. A public water authority will soon assume control of the water system.

“In Monterey, Measure W is GAINING STEAM!”