Friday, July 11, 2003

Deal makes way for recycled water use

Pipe system to Westwinds Golf Course at Southern California Logistics Airport to be constructed

By NIKKI COBB/Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE — A landmark local agreement for treating and discharging wastewater is going to preserve more drinking water for use in the Victor Valley and Barstow, save a city money and calm the fears of environmentalists.

The agreement between the Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority and the California Department of Fish and Game allows recycled water to be used for the first time off-site of the authority's treatment plant.

Treated wastewater now can be used to irrigate the Westwinds Golf Course at Southern California Logistics Airport, conserving dwindling groundwater for drinking, and saving Victorville money.

About 400 acre-feet a year is needed to water the golf course, and construction of a pipe system to deliver the water should be completed in six to eight months.

Victorville will pay about $35 an acre-foot for the water, as well as the cost of electricity to deliver it. That's a fraction of the $350 an acre-foot and up that potable groundwater costs, and half of what it would cost to buy rights from a farmer.

Environmentalists were worried that using recycled water for irrigation could decrease VVWRA's discharge into the Mojave River at the expense of downstream habitats.

The treated wastewater is an important source of recharge for the Mojave River habitat, managed by the state Fish and Game Department north of the treatment plant. The agreement calls for the VVWRA to continue to discharge about 9,000 acre-feet into the Mojave River every year.

The agreement allays concerns that by using some of the expected future flows to the facility, there won't be enough water to sustain the plants, animals and birds that depend on it.

"We've taken a very big step," said Dan Gallagher, general manager of the VVWRA. "We're pleased that we can plan for the area's growth, working with Fish and Game."

Patricia Morris, assistant city manager for Barstow, said despite Barstow's initial opposition to any diversion of water from discharge into the river, she was pleased with the agreement.

Morris said by guaranteeing a minimum amount of reclaimed water flow into the Mojave River transition zone, the VVWRA had committed to assuring Barstow would continue to receive enough downstream water to meet that community's needs.

Gallagher estimated that the amount of water VVWRA processes will double in the next 20 years.

Nikki Cobb can be reached at nikki_cobb@link.freedom.com or 951-6277.