Water’s Worth

Thanks to Kera Abraham and the Weekly for your coverage of the recent debate over how to solve our water supply problems (“Hot Water Battle,” April 15-21). I believe the Peninsula and the entire region would be better served with a collaboration that extends to water users in the North County region. My comments were juxtaposed with the most recent estimates of project water costs being upwards of $7,900 per acre-foot. Before your readers in North County get the mistaken impression I advocate they pay this rate, I would say that no one should pay that rate unless it is truly their only option.

I believe North County water users should be involved in this project for two reasons. First, North County has a more dire water problem than the Peninsula, and this project, being located in their water basin, should be carefully monitored to ensure that it does not adversely impact their groundwater table. Second, Marina Coast says it doesn’t want the water from the plant, hence it would only pay $149 per acre-foot for its share. The Peninsula would pay the remaining costs of treating that water. I believe the Peninsula could get a better price from another agency or water company in North County. The average household uses one-quarter of an acre-foot of water per year. At $149 an acre-foot, that’s $36 a year. With such needs for water in this region, I’d think someone would be willing to pay more than $3 a month for water.--Kristi Markey | Monterey

carmel’s confidence

Merv Sutton, who served as treasurer for Gerard Rose’s election campaign, was exactly right when he said the Carmel election “doesn’t show a lot of confidence in the council and mayor” (“Carmel 2.0, April 15-21). I can only hope that Mayor McCloud gets that message and begins to attack some of the problems that she and her colleagues swept under the rug during the campaign. I hope, too, that council members will perceive the political risks of lockstep support of McCloud. --James Emery | Carmel