Public Comment Period Extended for 2 Reservoirs

This month’s deadline for public comment on environmental reports for water-treatment plants proposed at Encino and Stone Canyon reservoirs will be extended by 30 days to allow the Department of Water and Power to develop alternatives, Los Angeles officials said Tuesday.

City Councilman Mike Feuer said Tuesday after a meeting with DWP General Manager S. David Freeman that the DWP is developing alternative filtration, or ultraviolet treatment plans, to submit to the state Department of Health Services for consideration.

State health officials met with Feuer and DWP managers last week and agreed to consider any alternate means of cleaning the water from the open reservoirs that serve 500,000 residents of the San Fernando Valley and the Westside.

The environmental impact report currently being circulated for public comment proposes spending $170 million to build scaled-down filtration plants, but proponents of ultraviolet technology say the work can be done for $40 million or less.

“The feds are also interested in exploring the efficacy of ultraviolet, because it’s much more cost effective,” Feuer said.

Residents may submit written comments on the draft environmental impact report through Feb. 5 to Steve Ott, Environmental Affairs Coordinator, Department of Water and Power, Water Supply Division, P.O. Box 5111, Room 1348, Los Angeles 90051.

For more information, residents may call Ott at (213) 367-4187.