Water Watch : What do members of the County Water Authority think of San Diego’s voluntary water plan?

LINDA BRANNON, Poway

“It’s not a question of voluntary vs. mandatory, or two little words as Mayor Maureen O’Connor says. When you are at the bottom of the pipeline, you better cooperate. We are beyond conservation. There is not time for that. It’s wrong to mislead the public that they are going to be OK.”

Brannon household of four used 440 gallons a day during the most recent billing period.

FRANK CHENELLE, National City

“(The city of San Diego) just didn’t want to be dictated to. I don’t think they realize what a crisis we are in. You shouldn’t be able to buy water just because you can buy it. We need to have water for everyone.”

Chenelle said he didn’t know the water usage of his household of four, but he said he has installed low-flow toilets.

WILLIAM HOLLINGSWORTH, Olivenhain Municipal Water District

“Most people want a block of water, and they want to use it as they see fit. But that’s difficult. Most people can’t gauge how much water they are using. By the time they figure out how much water they have used, we will have lost a lot of water we cannot replace. Most people in this country have never been in a situation where they could not use anything and everything they could afford.”

The Hollingsworth household of two used 137 gallons a day during the most recent billing period.

CARY WRIGHT, South Bay Irrigation District

“I wish I could find a quote that would properly explain . . . how I feel about Maureen’s indecisiveness in this crisis. Last Tuesday, I attended a (water) meeting in San Jose, and they accused us of using other people’s water and failing to take the drought seriously. I think (O’Connor) has done a great injustice to the people of San Diego. We have been trying to work with the north for a long time (to show them) that we share their concern about water. She set us back in that goal.”

The Wrights used 150 gallons a day during the past two months.

CHARLES F. COOPER, San Diego

“Until it’s demonstrated clearly that (voluntary conservation) won’t work, this is the way to go . . . A 50% cutback would be fairly simple if CWA would monitor and restrict water usage on a weekly basis.”

Cooper was not sure of his current household water use.