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Residents and council weigh filtration, carbon options and testing as middle ground
Summary
At the town-hall, residents suggested incremental technical measures — including activated carbon filters and baseline groundwater testing — as potential compromises if reclaimed water must be reused, while others insisted only a full pause or contract reversal would be acceptable.
Several speakers proposed incremental technical solutions to reduce chemicals of emerging concern if reclaimed Class A wastewater is deployed through the canal. Sophia Fleming and others highlighted an activated carbon step as a way to remove additional contaminants before distribution and urged monthly or quarterly groundwater monitoring so the community has baseline data.
"There is a step in between by adding a carbon activated carbon filter that would take the majority of those, chemicals of emerging concern out of the water," Fleming said, suggesting that an intermediate technical standard could win broader support while protecting agricultural and recreational uses. Councilmembers asked staff to collect cost estimates and explore whether grants or federal matching funds could offset capital expenses.
Other residents cautioned that enhanced filtration increases operational and maintenance costs and could be passed to ratepayers. The mayor noted federal grants exist but require matching funds and time to apply, so financing remains a critical question.
