IRVINE : Water District Drops Recycling Plant Bill

The Irvine Ranch Water District plans to withdraw a bill in the state legislature that would have given the agency the right to build a hazardous waste water recycling plant in the city.

The bill, which is sponsored by state Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), has been the subject of much debate over the past few months. City officials and some residents fear that the plant could pose environmental risks if it is built near the San Joaquin Marsh.

Water district officials on Thursday said the city’s concerns were a factor in the decision to drop the bill for now. But they insisted the recycling plant is a sound idea and said the district might have the bill reintroduced in coming years.

“If it is something the city understands better and something we looked at and thought was a viable deal, we would bring it back,” said water district President Peer Swan. “If we don’t, we won’t bring it back.”

The bill, SB 1191, would have amended the California Water District Act to give the IRWD the same right as the Orange County Sanitation District to recycle hazardous waste water.

The district never formally proposed a recycling center project or selected a site. IRWD officials agreed last year that any such project would require approval from the city.

But concerns about the bill have persisted, especially among those who feared the plant would be built near the environmentally sensitive San Joaquin Marsh.

City Manager Paul O. Brady Jr. said the city was concerned about whether a strong earthquake could send industrial waste water from the plant into the marsh and into Upper Newport Bay.

Swan said another reason for seeking the bill’s withdrawal was that the district had no interest in developing the recycling plant for at least three years. He said the district will continue to seek legislative approval of a modified bill that would allow the IRWD to open a composting facility for “green waste” such as grass, leaves and branches.

“I think that this is a much more rational plan,” said Councilman Barry J. Hammond. “It’s better for the district and the community.”

Added Swan: “The composting does not appear to be a controversial issue. We want to let it go through the city process. Then when and if the (waste recycling issue) comes up, we’ll address it at that time.”