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Water Fees Will Help Wildlife

Environmental groups are supporting a plan to increase water and wastewater rates in the city of San Diego. The rate increases will fund projects to protect sensitive wildlife and watershed areas. KPB

Water Fees Will Help Wildlife

Environmental groups are supporting a plan to increase water and wastewater rates in the city of San Diego. The rate increases will fund projects to protect sensitive wildlife and watershed areas. KPBS reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Water main breaks and sewage spills send polluted water to the ocean and other waterways. Environmental groups’ new water and wastewater rate increases will pay for projects to eliminate the hazard. Bruce Reznik is with San Diego Coastkeeper.

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Reznik: Our goal is obviously is to have no sewage spills and we're not there yet, we've made a lot of improvements, I think it's something the city really should be very proud of over the last five years but there's a lot more that's needed and this rate increase is unfortunately is what's needed to fund those improvements.

Mayor Jerry Sanders says the city has had more than 600 water main breaks and more than 600 sewage spills over the past five years. The San Diego City Council considers the rate increases next Monday. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.