Scientific studies overstate the health risks posed by a limited recreation on the Domenigoni Valley reservoir, Hemet's planning director said Tuesday.

"We hope you will be realistic and reasonable" when deciding which water sports to allow on the reservoir under construction south of the city, Mark Goldberg told Metropolitan Water District directors in Los Angeles.

In three weeks, the water district board is scheduled to vote on what sports to allow on the huge drinking water reservoir. Hemet officials say those sports are the key to economic development. They have lobbied fiercely over the last few years as the three dams that will hold the water have taken shape.

The district staff's recommendation falls short of Hemet's hopes. It calls for permitting motorboating, single- and multi-hull sailing, canoeing and kayaking on the 4,500-acre lake while banning water skiing, sailboarding and Jet Skiing.

Goldberg argued that a different plan limiting recreation to the east end of the reservoir would protect consumers from contaminated drinking water while stimulating the area's economy.

The plan is one of four from reservoir project manager Dennis Majors and water quality director Mark Beuhler.

That scenario assumes most pathogens from human contact would dissipate by the time they traveled the 2 ½ miles to the west end, where water will be pumped into and out of the reservoir.

Based on a maximum of 81,000 water skiers or Jet Skiers a year, the plan would amount to one user for every 3.2 billion gallons of water. The report concludes they would not lead to additional water treatment costs or pose a hazard to downstream consumers.

"It's an awful lot of water for one person to pollute," Goldberg said. "You could swim for 220 years without ever touching the same water."

Swimming will not be permitted in the reservoir but will be allowed on two smaller lakes that will be included in an adjacent recreation area.

Two committees of Metropolitan's 51-member board of directors heard Goldberg Tuesday. They did not endorse any of the four recreation plans, but said the full board will vote on a recreation policy on Oct. 13.

Director Jerry King, chairman of the board's real property committee, said he considered Goldberg's remarks credible.

"I don't think any of us have really decided," King said. "We're proceeding cautiously.

"But we cannot afford to make a mistake based on feeling. All we need is one (health-related) problem" to have Southern Californians lose confidence in what will be the region's largest drinking water reservoir.

Even if recreation was limited at first, it could be expanded over the years, King said.

A study prepared by a panel of scientists Metropolitan retained estimated the risk of infections from various pathogens spread by human contact in water, with its focus on Cryptosporidium, the bacteria identified as the greatest threat to reservoir users or downstream consumers. The risks varied with the type of recreation.

The $2 billion reservoir is expected to be completed next year and filled with water by 2004. It will be the largest reservoir in Southern California.

Published 9/23/1998