(San Diego County) Update: County Grand Jury: San Diego 'Political Posturing' led to water rate hike

May 20, 2014
By Jennifer Vigil
Times of San Diego


The county grand jury has taken the city of San Diego to task for not moving fast enough to enhance the local water supply, accusing them of playing politics rather than taking decisive action.


The city and the San Diego County Water Authority did not immediately respond to the grand jury report, which said the City Council needs to “assume the mantle of leadership and provide funding for future water projects.”

• junk a City Council-approved water recycling demonstration project and get on with building actual plants;

• establish realistic funding timelines for water projects;

• support capital improvement projects that enhance water management;

• require dual plumbing systems in new construction for recycled water use, and

• create a policy in which water rates are to go up when wholesale prices are increased by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

“Historically, requests for rate hikes were routinely voted down by the City Council in order to look better to the voters,” the report says. “What have resulted are the postponement of water infrastructure projects, Band-Aid repair jobs and an ever-increasing list of problems with water delivery and wastewater management. The city’s water decisions are guided more by political considerations than sound public policy that is in the best interest of the citizens of San Diego County.”


The report also recommends that the water authority consider economic rewards for ratepayers who cut their use, and to be more transparent about how and why projects are prioritized and funded.


Maureen Stapleton, the water authority’s general manager, agreed that ratepayers deserve credit for their “farsighted efforts,” and said a recently updated master plan was the result of roughly two dozen public workshops, meetings and hearings.


“It’s encouraging that the grand jury continues to support a diversified approach to maintaining a reliable water supply for the San Diego region, including seawater desalination, water recycling and conservation,” Stapleton said.


“The region’s investments in a diversified water supply portfolio and conservation measures over the past 20 years have helped San Diego County avoid the worst effects of the current statewide drought.”


The grand jury said it reached its conclusions after interviewing water policy officials and reviewing reports from the City Council, city Engineering and Public Utilities departments, Metropolitan Water District and others.


The grand jury said the only feasible ways to mark a major increase in the local water supply is through desalination and recycling.


The grand jury said it reached its conclusions after interviewing 
water policy officials and reviewing reports from the City Council, city Engineering and Public Utilities departments, Metropolitan Water District and others.

Yet city officials did just that hours later, as the City Council approved spending $1 million to hire a consultant and stage a public relations campaign to build support for recycled water.

The council also called for voluntary conservation measures by residents in face of the drought.

Among the grand jury’s recommendations are to:

– City News Service