Letter to the Editor:

Letter to the Editor: - A large white building - Reverse osmosis

The Key West Chamber of Commerce is requesting that the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) delay decisions regarding the Stock Island RO (Reverse Osmosis) plant expansion and/or replacement for a year, in order to facilitate public discussion and vetting of both the community’s water supply interruption needs, long-range sustainability strategies, and feasibility of the solutions being proposed.

We request that an independent feasibility study be performed to analyze the risks, needs, and other options, for example, portable RO plants, and the overall viability of the solutions being proposed. FKAA has held public meetings in the evenings in the past, and on behalf of the majority of working residents of this community, we ask the FKAA do the same regarding this proposed project and rate increase.

The Key West Chamber is concerned about significant rate increases and the accumulation of additional debt that will burden the residents of this community.  While we understand the FKAA must invest in its infrastructure and plan for emergencies, the costs of increased reliability of utility services to Key West should still be weighed against the costs to our residents. Our community is best served by exploring all the available options and exploring the pros and cons of each in order to make a decision that is timed well, and steered with an ongoing vision of conservatism, agility and foresight.

Virginia A. Panico

Key West Chamber of Commerce