San Diego - recycled water project vetoed ...

Excerpt from KPBS News:

Sanders Vetoes Recycled Water Project

14 November 2007

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders on Wednesday vetoed a recent City Council action authorizing a pilot program to use recycled wastewater. The council voted for the plan to supplement San Diego's drinking water supply.

Sanders says the project, often-called toilet-to-tap, is too expensive.

Sanders: The water enterprise fund simply does not have the money to pay for a pilot project or the public outreach campaign the council is requesting.

Sanders says the project would cost between $10 and $15 million and would take years to develop. He says conservation and desalination are better ways to increase the city's water supply.

Sanders: Toilet to tap is not a silver bullet for our water supply needs. It is a costly process that does not hold promise for substantial amounts of usable water.

The city already uses treated water for activities such as landscaping. The City Council voted 5-2 last month to initiate a one-year reclaimed water demonstration project by next July.

The council needs five votes to override the mayor's veto. If that happens, Sanders says he'll submit to the council a notice that would require it to increase water rates to pay for the pilot project.

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