The San Diego City Council today approved two water rate increases to cover the higher cost of imported water and to fund a sewage recycling study.
With no discussion, the council voted 5-3 in favor of the rate increases.
Councilmen Kevin Faulconer, Tony Young and Brain Maienschein cast the dissenting votes.
A public hearing on the water rate hikes was held Monday, but a vote was put off until today to give Councilwoman Donna Frye, who had been out sick, a chance to weigh in.
The first rate increase is intended to offset the higher cost of imported water from the San Diego County Water Authority, the agency from which the city buys the bulk of its water.
That increase will amount to about $3.31 extra per month for the average single-family customer.
The other hike will pay for an already approved $11.8 million, one-year wastewater recycling pilot project to test the feasibility of using recycled sewage to supplement San Diego's drinking water supplies.
The project has been labeled "toilet-to-tap'' by its detractors, but supporters argue that recycled water is a safe way to bolster San Diego's dwindling reservoirs.
The rate increase, which will expire after the cost of the project has been recouped, will amount to $1.19 for the average single-family residential water user in San Diego.
The higher fees will take effect Jan. 1.
San Diego Suburban Newspapers To comment on these stories, contact editor@delmartimes.net
Although the Del Mar Times does not have any obligation to monitor this board, the Del Mar Times reserves the right at all times to check this board and to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to the Del Mar Times in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. The Del Mar Times also reserves the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Submission of any comments will be considered permission to use online or in print.
