SAN CLEMENTE : Tri-Cities to Discuss Marines’ Water Deal

Tri-Cities Water District will outline the benefits of a recently forged deal to buy water from the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton during tonight’s City Council meeting.

The 10-minute presentation will detail the district’s purchase of water in the San Mateo Basin, an approximately $5-million transaction that water officials say would provide a badly needed source of emergency water.

However, critics of the purchase say the water district, whose main customer is San Clemente, may be spending too much. San Clemente water users, who make up about 70% of the district’s customers, may ultimately pay for the water purchase in the form of higher rates, say city officials.

The agreement was approved by the water board last week, despite the urging of Mayor Scott Diehl to move more slowly on the project. However, the council is not likely to take action on the issue on Wednesday, Diehl said.

The deal with the Marine Corps comes at a time when the county is considering merging the Tri-Cities district with other water agencies. It would be the first time the Marines have allowed a civilian government to tap the vast pools of underground water at the base.