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Aguirre Says City is Obligated to Enact Toilet-to-Tap Water Plan

San Diego's city attorney says it's time to resurrect the city's controversial “toilet-to-tap” water plan. Mike Aguirre says San Diego's water supply could be in jeopardy because of a federal court

Aguirre Says City is Obligated to Enact Toilet-to-Tap Water Plan

San Diego's city attorney says it's time to resurrect the city's controversial “toilet-to-tap” water plan. Mike Aguirre says San Diego's water supply could be in jeopardy because of a federal court order restricting the flow of water to southern California.  KPBS's Joanne Faryon explains.

The city has been looking at reusing recycled sewer and waste water as drinking water for years. But the idea has long been pooh-poohed by San Diegans.

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But Mike Aguirre says the city no longer has the luxury to turn away a viable water source.

Aguirre : What we have to understand is you're using reused water right now. Because a lot of the water we get from the Colorado River is being percolated and reused. Right now we don't have the luxury to be ignorant any more.

The city imports 90 percent of its water -- almost half comes from the state water project. But that supply is certain to be scarce next year. A federal judge says California will have to take less water from the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta because he's worried about the health of an endangered fish.