Water Pollution Solution

By Chuck Bahde

"Think Blue", "Adopt a Curb", Adjust Sewer Rate to Conserve Water.

Much of the pollution in the City of San Diego's ocean waters, bays, and watersheds is caused by pollutants washed down storm drains that empty directly into these waterways. The sources of this pollution result from the "upstream" choices that are made every day by residents, businesses and industry alike. I strongly support the"Think Blue" education program that is a long overdue call to action for the entire community on a regional basis. The message is simple, if you don't want it in the Oceans or Bays, don't put it down the storm drain. We also need innovative infrastructure improvements to improve San Diego's water quality. Such improvements include finishing the low flow diversion project that channels first-flow runoff (the most polluted) into the sewer system for treatment. I also support a more "natural" approach to urban runoff that would maintain existing wetlands, restore lost wetlands (including the elimination of non-native plants), and create detention swales with grass bio-filters at major water courses emptying into our bays. Our water quality must be regularly monitored and our anti-pollution laws vigorously enforced.

The Wastewater Department has initiated a new program with hikers recruited to report sewer spills and repair needs that they discover in the canyons they walk. A similar community outreach program should be initiated to lessen our urban runoff problem. Homeowners, property managers, and gardeners would be urged to "Adopt a Curb" in front of their property(s). This takes the education process a step further. Citizens would take a more active roll by removing leaves, dirt, and trash from their gutters. In conjunction with this effort we need to carefully evaluate the effectiveness of our street sweeping program. To often the curb areas are missed due to parked cars or debris is simply moved form one part of the street and then left behind in a new location.

As we move forward in our efforts to eliminate pollution caused by urban runoff, we must continue to maintain and upgrade our sewer system. There is no doubt that ruptured sewer lines have had a major negative impact on our water quality. Sewer repairs should have been given a much higher funding priority during previous budget deliberations. A joint press release by the Taxpayers Association and the Grand Jury in June 1998 stated that "since 1994, the San Diego City Council has diverted almost $65 million in sewer and water revenues to unspecified General Fund Programs. The City Council recently raised sewer rates again. The last time these rates were raised the Council made the promise that this revenue would be used exclusively for the sewer improvements but that promise was broken. For this reason I lobbied the Council to vote against sewer fee increases until this money was returned for sewer improvements. I will vote against any future draining of protected enterprise funds to the City General Fund!

Mayor Murphy has stated "water rates should be structured so those who use small amounts would face little or no increase, while those who use large quantities would bear most or all of the rate hikes to promote conservation and avoid harming those who can least afford to pay." Unfortunately, the current sewer rate structure does just the opposite. Sewer rates are tied to water use but there is a built-in disincentive to save water. In San Diego, there is a ceiling (a cap) on water use that is set artificially low. Under the current fee schedules, you don't pay any more for sewer use even if you use many more times the cap. If the sewer cap was lifted and bills were based on the full amount of water use, water hogs would receive higher bills. If people are charged for their poor consumption habits their behavior will soon change.

The next major crisis to hit us will be water shortages. The policies of the Water and Sewer department should be written to promote water conservation. I will recommend a full review water department's fee schedule before sewer and water rates are raised again.