WRC Meeting Highlights Jan. 5, 2017

The Water Reliability Coalition's Jan. 5 meeting was incredibly informative and productive, with the group discussing a proposal for the City of San Diego to hire a water rate consultant, and also a robust discussion on a new mission statement and new goals for the organization.

Don Kelly, UCAN Executive Director, presented to the Coalition his organization’s proposal for an independent water rate consultant to advise the San Diego City Council during future rate cases.

UCAN developed the proposal in response to concerns around a lack of transparency and stakeholder involvement in the rate design process. The WRC shares these concerns; however, after discussing the proposal, the membership concluded that an independent water rate consultant, as proposed by UCAN, is an unnecessary expenditure that could lead to confusion and distrust of the PUD and City.

The WRC co-chairs have since submitted a letter on behalf of the Coalition encouraging the Council to bring forward alternative good government solutions aimed at greater transparency and stakeholder involvement in the rate design process.

The group also voted unanimously to adopt a new mission statement for the WRC: "The mission of the Water Reliability Coalition is to advance water reuse and other strategies to develop and support safe, reliable, sustainable and cost-effective local water supplies.”

The group also drafted a new objective for 2017 to "advocate for greater collaboration, planning and coordination between local departments, for an integrated ‘one water’ approach between water, wastewater and storm water.”