UCAN to investigate legality of water rate subsidies to golf courses

UCAN's Executive Director has stated publicly that he intends to launch an investigation into the legality of subsidized water rates to City of San Diego City golf courses. According to the Voice of San Diego, which exposed the subsidies last Thursday, golf courses and 475 other large water users are netting huge cost savings of up to $70,000 a year by using reclaimed sewage to water their lawns. The reclaimed water, which is transported in special purple-colored pipes is so cheap that it costs the City money to send it to the golf courses. 

The cost of drinking water has jumped 60 percent in the last four years, yet the cost of reclaimed sewage water has stayed flat since 2001, amounting to an estimated 78% discount for golf courses and large businesses such as Qualcomm, which saves $70,000 a year by taking advantage of the City's generous discounts. 

Speaking to the Voice of San Diego, UCAN's Executive Director Michael Shames questioned whether the policy violates laws forbidding one group from subsidizing the water use of another.

"It does appear as though the rates the city is charging its recycled water customers may fall afoul of the current law," said Shames, who has promised to provide a legal opinion of the water policy to the City.

Hats off to Rob Davis and VOSD for exposing the story.