They say that every drop counts. Whether that holds true regardless of the source was put to the test in Petaluma Monday. 

 

The city council there was asked to consider requesting federal help to turn sewage into water for local and agricultural irrigation.

  

Federal funds can cover up to a quarter of the full freight, though officials are confident they can snag more money from the state to cover more of the nearly $28 million cost.

  

According to a city report, additional treatment would generate 712 acre feet of usable water a year---that's a little more 1.5 percent of what's in Lake Mendocino right now. The proposal included two pipelines. One for distribution to irrigate landscaping, parks and schoolyards, the other, several miles long, would send reclaimed water to agricultural growers beyond the city limits. The council was also asked to approve the 35-unit Riverbend subdivision, a mix of 27 homes and eight accessory dwelling units.