Second in a series. 

Re: “Meghan’s Clean Water Message to Mayors”

When we left former Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells yesterday, in the midst of her clean water address on Monday to a conference of mayors at Sony Studios, she was saying:

“The permits and the standards (the State Water Resources Control Board) has set for us, are much more aggressive than pretty much any other area of the country.”

Ms. Sahli-Wells went on to say that “although I agree we need to do more to protect our water body, the expectations and the timelines the board has for us  are not achievable at this point – unless we get millions of dollars in funding.

Keep in mind that Ms. Sahli-Wells issued her judgment 24 hours before the State Water Board yesterday grew even tougher, declaring unprecedented water conservation restrictions.

By participating in the ongoing series of meetings of Los Angeles County mayors, sponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti, Ms. Sahli-Wells hopes to develop relationships with other elected officials that will strengthen City Hall’s chances for fresh funding from Sacramento/Washington.

Obtaining funding can be as vexing as trapping smoke in the palm of one hand.

She recalled that about a year and a half ago the Board of County Supervisors toyed with a clean beaches-style initiative. “It was stillborn,” Ms. Sahli-Wells said. “The supervisors decided not to float a bond measure.”