SAN DIEGO : Sewage Plan Changes Delayed

Postponing a potential showdown over a federally mandated sewage treatment plan, the San Diego City Council delayed action Monday on a proposal to drastically scale back the program in order to study further its financial and legal consequences.

After a lengthy debate that underlined the council’s uncertainty over the complex issue, the members voted unanimously to postpone a decision on altering the $2.5-billion-plus program for two weeks to give city administrators time to study the effect of the proposed changes.

The two-week delay was prompted by council members’ contention that they had too few details concerning costs, construction timetables and other factors dealing with certain components--in particular, water reclamation plants--of the multibillion-dollar Clean Water Program.

Based on the city’s own cost projections, the changes being considered--which would require approval by federal environmental regulators, a U.S. District judge and a change in federal law--could lower the controversial program’s cost to about $1.2 billion. That, in turn, could dramatically reduce the sewer and water price increases needed to help finance the program.