City Staff Deflect Blame Away From Pure Water Before San Diego’s Big Water Rate Vote

As the San Diego City Council prepares to make major water rate hikes, city staff clearly want weary councilmembers to blame the San Diego County Water Authority and not the wastewater recycling project the city is building.

Tuesday the City Council will vote on a 63 percent water rate hike and 31 percent wastewater rate increase over the next four years. City Hall is abuzz with chatter that there may not be enough votes to pass the rate increases, which could set in motion an unpredictable series of events. The city pays the Water Authority about $30 million per month for water. The Water Authority’s bills to the city will come due no matter what. But if elected leaders refuse to raise rates, San Diego’s utilities department can’t collect the money it needs to function.