Memo to the San Diego Coast Keeper

Memo To: Matt O’Malley, San Diego Coast Keeper and Everett Delano, Esq.

From: Milt Burgess

RE: California’s Drought

Your lawsuit against the State Water Authority says, “The San Diego County
Water Authority must do more to address the environmental impacts of its
water supply sources.”

The bubble that apparently surrounds the offices of the San Diego Coast
Keeper must be totally impenetrable, keeping out any data about the fact
that as of now 100% of California is in drought; Governor Brown’s
Proclamation is in effect and rational thinking has not gone out of style.

At a time when some cities in California are down to a two month supply of
water, reservoirs at an all-time low and we are facing little or no natural
precipitation, it is ludicrous to see the article in today’s San Diego UT
taking SDCWA to task for not sufficiently addressing environmental impacts
of its water supply.

This lawsuit has all the earmarks of the Titanic officer who, as the ship is
sliding into the frigid waters of the North Atlantic, may have been posting
a notice that those who fail to be properly attired at dinner will be
seriously reprimanded.

Now I fully realize, Mr. O’Malley and Mr. Delano, that your livelihood is
dependent upon maintaining a base of folks who will pay your fees. And what
you see is ever-increasing popular opinion that has the rational thinking
water, life-giving water for humans may be far more important than
attempting to account for the CO2 produced by pumping water. If you are that concerned, then to
be true to your convictions to save the CO2 needed to get water to your
properties you must shut off the water at their property lines, gather up
some buckets and go to the nearest lake or reservoir to supply your water
needs.

There is a wonderful bit of wisdom that says, “Do Something. Lead, Follow or
Get Out Of The Way!

It’s time for getting out of the way. At some future date, when water flows
freely, rainfall is plentiful and the drought is over, you can promote your
self-serving agendas. As most of the leadership in the State of California
says, we need to suspend the red tape of environmental restrictions and get
the water to where it is needed.

Here is an idea. How about helping to solve water issues by suspending your
capricious legal work and start doing the heavy lifting of providing San
Diego with a reliable water supply that includes promotion of turning
wastewater into potable water. Who knows? There may even be a way for you to
get some billable hours doing that.