Times: Pinole chooses against joining Hercules at West County wastewater plant
— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 25 July 2010 — 2 comments below »
A short-sighted, financially-based decision… “West County Wastewater will begin negotiating with Hercules on a service agreement, said general manager E.J. Shalaby. The agency in the past has embraced the idea of a regional approach to wastewater treatment. But the infrastructure costs of a move to another district are high, Shalaby said, and Pinole’s rate calculations support the city’s decision to stay put, he said. Whereas, Shalaby said, ‘Hercules has obviously made a decision to get out of the wastewater business.’”
By the way, if there is one thing I do know (based on stats, logs, etc.), it is that nobody really cares about this issue. Except me.
(Hold that thought.)
Jeff, very funny. I think most of us don’t know how this will affect us to comment. I suspect our rates will go up considerably and this will be reflected in our taxes .
Why didn’t the council have a series of workshops to inform the residents of options and costs and future rates. The feedback from the public may have determined a different decision. There were very few reports from the council on the JPA meetings and left the residents in the dark. The infastructure cost for this change is going to double or triple the rates “to get out of the wastewater business” as the City Manager likes to say, but its only the residents that will feel the pain, no big deal……