I’m amazed at the Davis City Council, although I shouldn’t be! After living in Davis as a child and young adult, and watching since then, I should not be surprised that the members of the City Council have decided to backpedal on agreements they made for the Woodland/Davis surface water project.

All the members of both the Woodland and Davis city councils have been thoroughly briefed and informed on every aspect of the project. They know the water quality in both communities does not meet current or future quality standards. They know that they will be fined for not bringing the standards up by 2016.

They know the costs involved with the project and that, after years of study, the surface water project is less than half the cost of any of the alternatives. They know that time is of the essence to get the project completed by the 2016 deadline.

They know that by waiting, they not only will be fined for not having water quality upgraded by 2016, but the wait alone adds millions of dollars to the project and could jeopardize federal and state grants to the project.

Yet the Davis City Council does not have the political backbone to stand up and let its community know the importance of the project and can’t take the heat for making the right decision to increase rates to pay for it.

I’m not blaming this current batch of city leaders. Previous administrations in both communities have pushed this problem down the road to save their political butts and get elected. Although they knew this problem was coming, they didn’t act to improve the water quality and availability and adjust the rates to pay for it over time.

Just because they didn’t have the guts do the right thing doesn’t mean the problem went away; it has now come to a head.

Quit trying to save your political seat and do something that will endure for future generations. Your inaction is costing both communities millions.

Jim Hilliard

Woodland

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