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A decade of courtroom battles, ballooning invoices, and a promise that cheaper, locally controlled water is just over the next hill—only to find another hill. We pull back the curtain on Apple Valley’s bid to seize its water utility, mapping the timeline from a last-minute eminent domain filing to a 67-day trial loss, a reversal hinging on judicial deference, and a California Supreme Court review that could reshape how public takeovers are judged across the state.

We walk through what the judge actually said when he called the proposed takeover a risky experiment, and why the appellate “win” didn’t validate the economics or engineering behind municipal ownership. Then we follow the money: the $13.2 million fee order, ongoing monthly legal bills draining the general fund, and the deeper costs lurking in Measure F’s $150 million debt authorization. Beyond the headline debt, we examine the disappearing property tax revenue if the utility goes public, and what that means for schools and county services that rely on those dollars.

Zooming out, we explore the growing PFAS threat and why remediation liabilities won’t vanish under public ownership. We compare CPUC-regulated rate hikes with the hard reality that a city-run system would still face capital upgrades, bond payments, and compliance costs. Along the way, we track leadership changes, reduced services, and delayed projects, revealing how legal strategy can crowd out everyday governance. If local control remains the goal, we lay out what honest accountability and sustainable financing would look like—so residents aren’t left paying more for less.

If this kind of clear, local oversight matters to you, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a review with your take on the water fight. Your questions and ideas guide where we go next.

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