District Seeking State OK for Water Disposal

Despite still being at odds with the city of Newport Beach, Irvine Ranch Water District officials say they will proceed with their plan to seek state permission Monday for a controversial water disposal demonstration that will affect Upper Newport Bay.

The permit hearing at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board in Riverside has been postponed three times this year because city and water district officials could not agree on the Wetlands Water Supply project.

The state control board’s staff recommended this year that the project be approved, but Irvine Ranch officials said they would prefer not to proceed without Newport Beach’s blessing.

District board President Darryl Miller said Monday that is no longer the case. “Unfortunately, the city of Newport Beach has rejected a number of proposals,” Miller said.

The water district wants to save waste-water disposal costs by channeling 5 million gallons of highly treated waste water daily through duck ponds that flow into a tributary of the bay.

Debate over the two-year pilot program began more than a year ago. City environmentalists and staff argue that the water would add nutrients into the bay, increasing unwanted algae bloom. Water district officials maintain that the project would benefit the bay.

One alternative would be for Irvine Ranch’s excess waste water to go to an Orange County Water District project named Green Acres. Who would pay for the alternative project, though, is among the issues to be resolved, officials said.

Talks between the two water agencies fell apart last week after Newport Beach officials voiced their concern about being excluded from the negotiations.

City Manager Kevin J. Murphy said that, if no accord is reached by the week’s end, city officials will attend the state hearing to speak against Irvine Ranch’s proposal.

The state Regional Water Quality Control Board will meet at 9 a.m. in the Orange County Water District Board Room, 10500 Alice Ave., Fountain Valley.

Information: (714) 378-3200.