LETTERS WATER PLAN CRITIC MISCHARACTERIZED.I would like to respond to the article published on May 22 regarding the draft Palmdale Water Reclamation Plant 2025 Facilities Plan. The article is well balanced and provides opinions from different points of view. However, I must take exception to the characterization by former Lahontan Regional Board member Gene Nebeker that the 2025 Plan is ``stupid and foolhardy fool·har·dy adj. fool·har·di·er, fool·har·di·est Unwisely bold or venturesome; rash. See Synonyms at reckless. [Middle English folhardi, from Old French fol hardi : .'' I would also like to address Nebeker's recommendation that the best solution would be to upgrade the Palmdale Water Reclamation Plant and allow the water to soak into the ground and recharge re·charge tr.v. re·charged, re·charg·ing, re·charg·es To charge again, especially to reenergize a storage battery. re the groundwater. The County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, working in conjunction with other agencies in the Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the peninsular and transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs (both in Los Angeles , operate the largest groundwater recharge program in California. From our experience and the experiences of others, it takes 10 years to develop a groundwater recharge project. Groundwater recharge can be more expensive than other reuse programs when the cost of blending water (required by state Department of Health Services Department of Health Services may refer to:
Under present conditions in the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley , the ratepayers in County Sanitation District No. 20 of Los Angeles County would not be able to recover the additional expense of a groundwater recharge program because the recharge water would become part of the unmanaged groundwater basin where landowners can withdraw water free of charge. The 2025 Plan proposes a long-term program to meet the immediate deadlines imposed by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) while allowing for future reuse of the water produced by the upgraded treatment facilities. In fact, supplying highly treated wastewater for emerging reuse opportunities is one of the stated objectives of the 2025 Plan. Rather than relying on a single method for using recycled water, it is our opinion that a flexible approach that supports a variety of reuse opportunities is a better solution. By law, sanitation districts in California There are several different types of districts in California. The U.S. state of California is geographically divided into various districts for political and administrative purposes. can operate only very limited types of reuse programs, so the 2025 Plan recommended that District No. 20 work in conjunction with others, e.g. water agencies and companies, to develop reuse programs which may include groundwater recharge. We are actively pursuing these opportunities. We believe that using recycled water instead of pumping groundwater for irrigation irrigation, in agriculture, artificial watering of the land. Although used chiefly in regions with annual rainfall of less than 20 in. (51 cm), it is also used in wetter areas to grow certain crops, e.g., rice. of crops, parks, golf courses and other green space preserves groundwater supplies and has the same overall effect as using recycled water for groundwater recharge. The key component in the 2025 Plan is to ensure that District No. 20 can meet the requirements set by the Regional Board at all times without reliance on yet unapproved un·ap·proved adj. Not approved or sanctioned: an unapproved vaccine; an unapproved protest march. and unfunded water reuse programs. District No. 20 is subject to fines from the Regional Board for failure to comply with these orders. The 2025 Plan recommends a project that will ensure District No. 20 has the infrastructure built in time to comply with the Regional Board orders. In terms of land purchases for agricultural reuse, the 2025 Plan relies on using land currently leased from Los Angeles World Airports Los Angeles World Airports or LAWA is the airport oversight and operations department for the city of Los Angeles, California. This department owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport, LA/Ontario International Airport, Palmdale Regional Airport, and Van supplemented with a $3 million purchase of additional land to provide a secure method for recycling water through 2013. The 2025 Plan also provides the ability to purchase additional land as required to ensure that District No. 20 has a fail-safe option under its control to ensure it can properly manage 100 percent of the recycled water 100 percent of the time. Clearly there are many critical issues facing the residents of District No. 20 and the Antelope Valley regarding water supply and wastewater management. Proposing a project that risks exposure to fines from the Regional Board would be a great disservice dis·ser·vice n. A harmful action; an injury. disservice Noun a harmful action Noun 1. to the residents and ratepayers in District No. 20. Cooperation among all parties will be key to arriving at real solutions to these difficult problems. Using terms such as ``stupid'' and ``foolhardy'' does nothing to bring about a solution. Charles Boehmke Division Engineer Financial Management Department County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County |
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