SAN DIEGO - City Attorney Michael Aguirre presided over a community forum on water conservation today, during which he renewed his call for reclaimed water to be used to help fill San Diego's reservoirs.

Facing a "water deficiency" problem, San Diego officials also need to make an emergency declaration that would force mandatory conservation, the city attorney told participants.

Over the past month, Aguirre has repeatedly said that the city in the midst of a water supply "crisis."

"We are not headed into the era of water surplus, but we are actually headed into the era of water scarcity," he said at the sparsely attended forum at City Hall.

Panelists included officials from water and energy policy and research groups, environmental activists and labor, who were largely in support of Aguirre's push for a recycled water program.

Jeff Mosher, executive director of the National Water Research Institute, said water re-use improves reliability and creates a sustainable supply.

"Frankly, it is just good water policy," he said.

Councilwoman Donna Frye agreed.

"Recycled water brings value to San Diego and why is that?" the councilwoman asked. "Because it enhances the reliability of our water supply, because it promotes a sustainable balance with our environment and because it is a locally controlled resource."

San Diego already uses reclaimed water for things like irrigation, but it does not put it directly into the city's nine reservoirs.

While Aguirre has pushed for mandatory conservation, Mayor Jerry Sanders has urged San Diego residents to voluntarily cut back on their water use, but has said the city is not facing a crisis.

The mayor is opposed to using treated wastewater to supplement the city's drinking supplies, a program sometimes called "toilet-to-tap."

Both are concerned about a federal judge's ruling that could limit the amount of fresh water that can be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

San Diego gets 90 percent of its water from outside sources, primarily the Colorado River and from Northern California.

Other panelists at today's forum included, local labor leader Jerry Butkiewicz; Bruce Reznick, executive director of San Diego Coastkeeper; Marco Gonzalez, attorney for the Surfrider Foundation; and Don Wood, senior policy advisor for the Pacific Energy Policy Center. CNS-10-02-2007 12:22