While San Diego officials wrestle publicly over seeking a waiver or moving forward with a $1.5 billion plan to remove 5 percent more sewer solids dumped 4.5 miles at sea off Point Loma, a historic collaboration of water agencies and environmental groups has identified more than 160 projects that will do everything from clean local waterways, protect 70 miles of recreational beaches and develop future drinking water sources.

Having met weekly since 2005, the three biggest players in San Diego’s water scene — the San Diego County Water Authority, the city of San Diego and the county of San Diego — have set a July 13 deadline to receive public comment on the jointly prepared Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. Acceptance of the plan (sdirwmp.org) before Aug. 1 is crucial to applying for $25 million in state bond money.

“It wasn’t easy,“ says Ken Weinberg, director of water resources for the water authority. “We have not traditionally worked together. If we had a project somewhere we might get together with a habitat conservation organization, but we have never sat back together and looked at the region as a whole.”

While not a complete solution, the report identifies water conservation as the most cost-effective way of meeting some of the region’s water needs. From efforts that began in 1992, the region will save more than 50,000 acre feet of water this year. The goal is to double that to 100,000 acre feet by 2030. The plan also targets generating 37,400 acre feet of water from desalination by 2015, boosting recycled water use to 33,670 acre feet by 2010, increasing groundwater supplies by 28,580 acre feet by 2010 and gaining 277,700 acre feet of water from Colorado River conservation and transfer programs by 2030.

Of the projects identified, 80 garnered enough points in a ranking system to rate as Tier 1. Combined, those will cost $735 million to undertake and $11.4 million a year to operate and maintain.

Along with the three principals, working together for the first time in San Diego are water and wastewater agencies, storm water permit holders, land use agencies, river conservancies, environmental and watershed advocacy groups and the public. The group incorporated 30 water management strategies in devising the plan. It is advised by a 25-member Regional Advisory Committee established in December 2006 to provide expertise in water supply, wastewater, recycled water, storm water, urban runoff, natural resources and environmental stewardship.

San Diego lacks a central data management structure. Water agencies report significant gaps exist in the collection and assessment of water quality. The plan calls for the creation of a the first regional Web-based system for sharing, disseminating and supporting the analysis of water management data.

As the ambitious IRWM Plan evolves — it will be modified at least every five years — tension over where and how the money is spent seems almost certain among the region’s 18 cities, urbanized unincorporated areas and the dozen or so water agencies.

Still undecided is how the plan will be managed. While each of the agencies has water responsibilities, none are nearly as broad as the plan’s goals. “We need to figure out what is the next step in an institutional structure,” says Weinberg. “I do know that there isn’t a lot of support for a new government structure.”

But the goal is a worthy one.

“If we are going to be successful in developing new water supplies, protecting water quality and managing habitat and open space, all three of those areas have to work together,” says Weinberg. “We are in an era of limited resources and limited funding from the state. So if we are going to be competitive for those resources, we need to work together. It is a business decision as well.”

— Tim McClain