Recycled Water Update #1

Dear Supporters,

Recently, many community leaders have complained to me that our Redwood City Public Works Director Peter Ingram has hired a very expensive PR firm to campaign, promote, and sell recycled  water in both RWC and RWS(See below San Mateo County Times).  Also, Peter Ingram has hired another PR expert to sell recycled water to the 25 HOAs in RWS.  Therefore, I contacted both Mayor Jeff Ira and Redwood City Supervising Civil Engineer Chu Chang for verification.  Mayor Ira and Chu Chang quickly provided me the following info. for me to forward to you.  In future, Mayor Jeff Ira has asked Peter Ingram to forward me all future important recycled water updates including all future Recycled Water schedule such as, when the recycled water construction will begin and how it will affect RWS, when the recycled water and purple pipes will arrive in RWS, and when the SBSA will have its new facility.  What follows is Recycled Water Update #1.  If you would like to be added to my e-mail list, please let me know @ [email protected]

Recycled Water Update #1:

1. Peter Ingram did hire a PR firm for this $44 million Recycled Water Project.  My understanding is that this PR firm’s focus is mainly to promote and sell recycled water to the RWS businesses (Oracle/Electronic Arts/Nobhill Shopping Center) and the Industrial Seaport areas.  Their focus is NOT to promote and sell recycled water near any of our 25 HOAs or anywhere near our children (parks and schools) which will NOT be using recycled water.  However, in the future, I do not know if this PR firm will go outside its task and try to sell recycled water to any of our 25 HOAs. So far, 17 out of 25 HOAs Boards have already taken a position against recycled water, if you wish to know your HOA Board’s position, please contact your HOA Board or ask me.  Note: If any of your children go to the Day Care Center located in any of the Twin Dolphin business buildings such as in Providence or CCLC, I am not certain if those Day Care Centers will be exposed to recycled water or if the grass nearby the buildings will receive recycled water? 

2. Peter Ingram did also hire another PR consultant for our 25 HOAs.  However, this PR consultant is NOT to sell or force recycled water on any of our 25 HOAs.  Their task is to help our 25 HOAs how to save water, and mostly water conservation.  Mayor Jeff Ira still believes that our 25 HOAs and entire RWS are still watering too much on our grasses.  You can see those wasted water in the morning. 

3. Peter Ingram did meet up with all the PR and Design consultants and Recycled Water team members for this $44 million Recycled Water Project to discuss the design and construction of treatment storage and pumping facility at SBSA. (SBSA is the Recycled Water Treatment Facility in RWS).  The earliest construction is anticipated to begin at SBSA in January 2005.

4. The City Council will have a study session, "The Challenges of Implementing the City's Water Supply Management Plan". This study session has been tentatively set on June 14^th, 2004.  City staff will also present the City/SBSA (South Bayside System Authority) recycled water agreement that same night.  This agreement will allow City and SBSA to begin the design of recycled water treatment, storage and pumping facilities.

5. I also want to assure you that our Mayor Ira has not forgotten the concern that was presented by Ex-Councilwoman Colleen Jordan at the November 2003 City Council meeting:  there were Cryptosporidium that was found in California Recycled Water Treatment Facilities meeting Title 22, and there is some degree of risks.  See Cryptosporidium parvum in Recycled Sewer Water .  Mayor Ira will be getting back to us soon.

I hope you find this letter helpful, and feel free to contact me.   For these past 2 years, I have had the honor and privilege to serve you.  I know that this will be the fastest way to get all the important Recycled Water Updates to you as this issue will affect each of our lives deeply. 

With care,

Christina Lai, Founder of Safewater Coalition

Water publicity could be costly   (San Mateo County Times)

Redwood City public works director says demand for information will be high

By Suzanne Zalev, STAFF WRITER

REDWOOD CITY -- Designing and building the recycled-water system is the "easy part," Public Works Director Peter Ingram said -- it's the public information campaign that will make or break the $44 million project. 

The city will likely embark on an extensive -- and possibly expensive -- outreach campaign that could include printed materials, a Web site, neighborhood meetings, e-mail broadcasts and a project call center.

"If we don't come across as credible and professional, we're going to get killed, and we're never going to get this project done," Ingram told the City Council's Utilities Committee today.

There's already been plenty of controversy surrounding the plan to use recycled water for irrigation to bring the city's water use in line with its supply. Many Redwood Shores residents objected to its use in parks and schoolyards, fearing it might make their children sick. The city no longer plans to use recycled water where children play, but this is the largest and most complicated project the city has ever taken on, Ingram said, and people will expect and demand a lot of information along the way.

It's not clear yet how much the outreach campaign might cost. But committee member and Vice Mayor Barbara Pierce said she prefers "overkill" to providing too little information, and committee chairwoman and Councilwoman Rosanne Foust said she wants to take a proactive approach.

The next step for the recycled-water project, which might start providing water as early as the summer of 2006, will be the agreement with the South Bayside System Authority to treat and sell recycled water to the city, Ingram said. That's likely to go before the City Council at the end of May or the beginning of June.

Important Updates

On March 22, 2004, the Redwood City Recycled Water Task Force succeeded: Recycled Sewer Water will not be used in all schools and parks (places where children play).

                                                 See San Mateo County Times, March 23, 2004

                                                 See Independent Newspaper, March 27, 2004

                                           

On November 3, 2003, the survival of disease-producing organisms in tertiary-treated reclaimed water has now been scientifically proven and published in the Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August 2003 edition.   The Redwood City cannot maintain its July 28, 2003 resolution that recycled sewer water has been shown to be safe.

 

On Oct. 22, 2003, an important article is reported in SF Examiner.  See Recycled water will come to the entire SF Bay Region.  This problem of Recycled Water no longer just applies to Redwood City.

 

  See More Recycled Water, SF Examiner, Oct. 26, 2003

On Aug. 11, 2003, this is the power of citizen involvement. 

The Redwood City Council recognizes the citizen input and formed the Recycled Water Task Force which includes Safewater Coalition.   If the Task Force fails to come to a consensus (by 2/3 majority) on March 15, 2004, the City Council has decided to fall back on Alternative E that is opposed by many Redwood Shores and Redwood City residents:  Alternative E is a plan that uses recycled sewer water in Sandpiper School, parks, and playgrounds. 

 

On July 28, 2003, the Redwood City council voted 5-2 and passed the resolution deemed recycled water safe to use despite residents objections until 3 am.  Most residents are still not convinced of the safety even after the city's orchestrated effort to discredit and disprove our experts and articles.

 

                   See Expert Retorts on July 28th City Council meeting, Aug. 6, 2003               

See Disappointment in representation on July 28th, Aug. 6, 2003

 

 

Accomplishments

Opposition to treated wastewater (a.k.a. treated effluent or recycled water) began June 11th, 2002 at the City’s first public information forum.  With only 2 attendees, the city thought they were on the “fast” track to mandating treated wastewater on Redwood City residents.  Here are some highlights of the Safewater Coalition at work:

 

June 9, 2003 Safewater Coalition sponsered 2 health experts and presented three testimonies  

                  

                    Presentation by Dr. Atkinson-Barr

                    Presentation by Dr. Lofholm

                    Credential and curriculum vitae of Dr. Atkinson-Barr                  

                    Credential and curriculum vitae of Dr. Lofholm

 

                    Safewater Coalition submitted written comments for the Addendum to Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Redwood City Recycled Water Project.

                    Testimony presented by Pat Dixon, a Director on the Redwood Shores Owners Association board(RSOA).

           

May 1, 2003 Redwood Shores Owners Association (RSOA) board passed resolution supporting Safewater Coalition's position.

                    

March 24, 2003 Safewater Coalition commented on Housing and Human Concerns Committee's Report on Water Adequacy relative to the development of Affordable Housing.

 

March 14, 2003 Attorney McDevitt stated in writing that Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency will not have power to compel Redwood City to distribute recycled water or to require residents of Redwood City to use  recycled water.

 

March 10, 2003 Safewater Coalition commented on City's Water Supply Update.  Through aggressive conservation programs, we can meet our water assurance targets.

                         Radio Based ET Controller targets 30% for conservation.

 

Feb. 26, 2003  2002 State Recycled Water Task Force Meeting in SF.  Safewater Coalition presents testimonies.

                         Testimony presented by Christina Lai of Safewater Coalition

                         Safewater Coalition states its position on recycled water project

              

Feb. 3, 2003   The Redwood City Council voted 5-2 to rule out making recycled water mandatory for existing homes and their associations.

                         Minute order on 5-2 vote

                         Live Video for full speeches/presentations

Councilwoman Jordan motion to implement Council Policy: Redwood City will not make the use of Recycled Water Mandatory to existing homes and their Associations

 

Jan. 13, 2003  Safewater Coalition delivers articles on the real facts about droughts

                       

Dec. 9,  2002  Concerned Home Owner Association presidents protest at city council meeting.  Safewater Coalition delivers 750 petitions and HOA board endorsement letters to the city for the public record.

                          Summary of event

                          Live Video for full speeches/presentations

                          KRON 4 news coverage

                          KTSV 26 news coverage

 

Nov. 4, 2002     Re-assessing unhealthy property values

                        Safewater Coalition delivers articles on water conservation