City Councilwoman Marti Emerald just asked Fern Steiner, a city representative on the San Diego County Water Authority’s board, what she thought of the city’s plan for effecting a 20 percent reduction in residents’ water consumption.
The authority is here at a council subcommittee meeting giving a presentation about the region’s overall water-supply picture.
Steiner’s reply: “I haven’t read it.”
Steiner said she’s been focused on studying the Metropolitan Water District’s plan for divvying up water throughout Southern California. Not on the city’s specific plan.
Steiner deferred to Frank Belock, the authority’s deputy general manager. He said he hadn’t read it either. “I have read the newspapers,” Belock said.
Steiner said she had caught snippets of the city’s plan. “The snippets I’ve heard are fine,” she said.
Emerald urged Steiner and Belock to provide feedback soon.
“I do hope you folks would read this allocation plan,” Emerald said. “We need as much input from the experts who have a broader view than those here sitting in the fishbowl.”
Councilwoman Donna Frye called the authority’s feedback (or lack of it) “unfortunate.”
Steiner, a volunteer, said she’d do some studying. “Everyone in this room knows that I will read that,” Steiner said.
Councilman Carl DeMaio called for the authority to provide written comments on the city’s proposed methodology in 30 days.