Update on Santa Rosa's Incremental Recycled Water Program

    City staff recently presented information regarding the necessity for an

additional project to take care of recycled wastewater that results from

increased growth expectations in member cities, as well as from a potential

loss of the system¹s ability to discharge into the Russian River due to the

recent passing of the California Toxics Rule.  Another constraint to

discharge is the recent federal listing of the Laguna de Santa Rosa and the

Russian River as impaired waterways.

    Staff calls it the Incremental Recycled Water Program (IPWP), and are

currently trying to have the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and City

Council make final the list of alternatives to be studied in the

Environmental Impact Report.  The City Council recently voted not to include

Ocean Outfall (a pipeline to the ocean) as an alternative, acknowledging the

legal and environmental  constraints.

    At the February 6, 2003 BPU meeting, Ocean Outfall was again proposed,

as well as a pipeline south to the Cargill salt concentrating ponds left

behind along Highway 37, that will be undergoing remediation.  Due to

controversy about these proposals, the BPU will meet on March 20 at 1:30pm

to reconsider these recommendations to the City Council. Public comment may

be made at this meeting.

    Questions may be addressed to Mark Millan, the Public Information

Coordinator, at 836-0300, or by checking out the city¹s website,

RecycledWaterProgram.com.  Call Anne Seeley at 526-3925 , or reach her at

aeseeley@sonic.net for her thoughts on this project.