Reply to a comment

Update: Mr. Magel moves to a new constituency, heavy users of reuse water.

Now in a memo to ICC members, Mr. Magel as a privileged well here is the actual text:

"I currently have the privilege of serving as your Board President and I’ve served on the Marco Island City Council for the past two plus years and currently, as it’s Chairman.

This upcoming City Council election has significant financial implications for the ICC in particular. The issue is the cost of reuse water which we purchase from the City to water the golf course and common areas. Last year that reuse water cost us approximately $97,000. As you know, water is essential to the course and the surrounding vegetation; we have no choice but to irrigate.

Reuse water is generated as we take showers, flush our toilets, and wash our dishes. It is sent to the wastewater plant and purified to a level specified by the Department of Environmental Protection. Then, it either is injected into deep wells at a cost to the City or in Marco Island’s case sold to large volume users for irrigation purposes. Marco can sell all the reuse water it generates and gets about $800,000 annually in revenue from its sale.

The ICC entered into an agreement many years ago to get reuse water from the City. The City agreed to provide the water, but the future cost per 1000 gallons could rise as the City Council dictates.

Three of the candidates running as a slate for City Council this year (Sacher, Honecker and Petricca) have expressed the view that the city does not charge enough for reuse water. Their argument is that since the single-family homeowner does not have access to reuse and is forced to irrigate their property with potable water, those who use reuse should pay more to subsidize their irrigation cost. They have talked about an increase of as much as 100%. That would mean an additional cost of up to $100,000 annually for the ICC.

If Sacher, Honecker and Petricca are elected, I am positive they will move quickly to negate the independent consultant study on water and sewer rates and implement new rates detrimental to the ICC..............

So who to vote for?
If you wish to get additional information, please email me at:

Thanks,
Larry Magel