Highest Water Quality in the State

By Anna Winship

Sewage spills, urban run-off, reclaimed water, aging infrastructure, misappropriated funds, lack of oversight all add up to difficulty supplying quality drinking water.

The recent reorganization of the Water Districts is an attempt to remove accountability and traceability from the process so that you the voting public "hopefully will lose track" of what has happened in the past and what can be covered up in the future.

Our duty as citizens is to not let the current "usual suspects" cover up our responsibility for proper management and oversight as well as "watchdog" county and state agencies quick to utilize our valuable allotted dollars for "meetings, seminars and community feedback", when in fact these monies should go for cleaner water that we can serve our children and guests from out of state with confidence.

We will achieve better drinking water when an improved infrastructure meets the demands of future growth. The important aspects of safe consistant drinking water are "reverse osmosis, ultra violet treatment and minimal chemical treatment". Right now throughout the county, our water is so highly treated with chlorine and other chemicals during low rainfall that the stench is overwhelming. Poor planning and management are responsible for this "we don't know what else to do" mentality.

The time has come for true citizen involvement. Forget those "water engineers", "structural contractors" and others who say they know all about water. The time is now to elect Water Board members with the passion and caring to give the people the straight scoop.