Supervisor Frank Mecham’s “Securing water for the future” (April 9) would be more appropriately called “Repeating mistakes of the past.”

In California, agriculture consumes the majority of usable water. So, the greatest opportunity to find new supply is in agriculture. But, the supervisor, like Big Ag, wants to change the discussion from practical steps of increasing supply through conservation to increasing supply by putting more environmental and financial costs on other Californians.

The supervisor should instead promote implementation and achievement of measurable goals for groundwater conservation, reclamation, gray water reuse and storm water retention.

The remainder of the county should be striving to achieve the same measurable results. Desalination and imported water is already failing Morro Bay. Learn from them, and don’t add impacts to our fragile marine environment through new desalination. SLO County needs to address over-pumping, promote self-reliance and balance, and challenge all water users (especially agriculture) toward measurable goals and results. Please don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.