Concerned HOA Presidents protest @ Dec9 City Council Meeting

                                        

This December 9^th, the Safewater Coalition along with numerous HOA Presidents and community leaders made an appearance at City Council to reiterate the widespread community support against treated effluent (recycled water) on our front lawns and residential areas.  Though not on the agenda, our holiday appearance that night was to remind City Council of the real and present concern and the strength of public outcry in the Shores.  At the council meeting, we publicly presented our petition of over 750 signatures and resolutions of support from HOA’s that represent over 1200 residential units. 

 

The Safewater Coalition would like to take this opportunity in thanking our supportive HOA Presidents and 750 petitioners who have signed and endorsed our petitions. 

 

Here are a few highlights from speeches/testimonies from your community leaders:

Phil Nettle, the President of Shorebird HOA forcefully stated, “There's insufficient scientific data to prove that recycled water is safe. No one knows the long-term effects of exposure.”

Leslie Todd, Redwood Shores Sandpiper Lagoon HOA resident eloquently described, “I don’t want recycled water in my son’s personal play area, which is our front yard.  I know that he will eventually consume small quantities of the water and that his tender skin will be exposed to recycled water on a regular basis.  I now see the puddles of water in my front yard and in the community areas around my house.  The puddles occur due to poor drainage; this will continue.  I see my child’s slide and toys wet several times a week because one or another sprinkler has sprayed our patio.  This also will continue.  What are all the different substances in sewer water that we don’t test for?  Do I want to risk this on my son?  No.”

Karen Pace, the President of Stratford Bay HOA passionately added, “As a resident of Stratford Bay, my home backs up to the 6-acre ball field located behind Sandpiper school.  I cannot fathom this recycled water proposal would be considered in any serious way if I could bring you, the City Council, to my home one summer and have you observe my children as well as 100’s of other children (and few adults!) who spend time running through the sprinklers on the field, getting soaked, water dripping down their hair and faces.  Clearly these children are ingesting some of this water as well as absorbing it through contact with their skin.  To say the sprinklers are set for the middle of the night so no public contact is possible is silly, this is not full proof.  If this recycled water proposal were actually enacted, should I move my family to avoid potential health risks to my two small children?”

 

Ray Wang, the President of Regatta HOA, added final remarks, “You’ve heard our concerns and by now you it should be obvious that this issue enjoys widespread support in the Shores.  However, the city keeps claiming that we are not moving forward with treated wastewater projects, yet we keep taking small steps every day towards that goal.  From state grants, to hiring consultants here and there, it seems obvious this is not true." 

 

Our message was clear that night; we opposed treated effluent (recycled water) in our front yards and residential areas.  We asked Council not to sacrifice and punish our residents’ health for the interest of developers who are above our water allocation. 

Going forward, we want you to be aware that you will be hearing counter reports and competing research in the next few months.  This is expected.  The city’s paid consultants are working hard to identify “research” to counter our health claims.  As you and I pour over their “research”, ask yourself where the researchers are receiving their funds and what conflict of interests arise from these experts.  As you might not know, many of the “experts” from previous forums and those cited by the City are in fact part of a coalition of recycled water advocates that are planning for the long term use of treated wastewater or part of a group of engineers or consultants that will benefit from future construction projects. 

 

The city is currently waiting for a Statewide Recycled Water Task Force to complete its study.  We hope they have a balanced non-biased panel.  Although our city is hoping that some of these results may alleviate our health concerns, at the second task force meeting, the Chairman of this California State Recycled Water Task Force actually confirmed our health concerns that there are health risks associated with treated wastewater.  In the report he states, “recent studies in environmental toxicology and pharmacology have revealed potential long-term health risks associated with chemical compounds such as disinfection by products, pharmaceutically active compounds, pesticides, and personal care products at low concentrations.”   This report can be found at our new Safewater Coalition website.

 

Even with 3 more months of additional research from the City addressing some of our health concerns, the Safewater Coalition feels that it is improbable that the City could guarantee or prove beyond shadow of doubt, that treated wastewater is harmless to humans.

 

A final decision on whether or not to use recycled wastewater on our front lawns, common areas, playground, parks, and Sandpiper schoolyard is scheduled for March 2003.  Stick to your intuition and keeping asking the questions.  We know that “the truth is out there.”