New City Water Policies Focus on Conservation

The San Diego City Council today unanimously passed a set of water policies that will guide the panel in future decisions regarding conservation, sources and rates.

“This policy is a critical first step in taking control over our water destiny,” said Councilwoman Sherri Lightner, who spent the past six months developing the plan.

She said the council had no coherent water strategy, and the policies that did exist were obsolete, failing to mention new technology or public-private partnerships.

“That is untenable because a sustainable water supply is critical to our quality of life and our economy,” Lightner said.

She said the plan updates conservation policies, provides incentives to reduce wasteful water use and encourages the development of desalination and recycling as water sources.

The policy calls for:
• regular updates from the mayor's office on current and future water supply;
• developing a water supply and conservation implementation plan with priorities, goals, timelines and benchmarks;
• making water supply a factor in land use decisions;
• assisting business in innovations that increase the water supply and maximize efficiency;
• establishing tiered rates for single-family homes to encourage conservation; and
• reducing the city's reliance on imported water.

There was no opposition to Lightner's plan from the council or the public.

The City Council plans to appoint a task force to implement the new policy, which will be reviewed every five years.

-City News Service