After postponing a decision in January, tonight the Sitka Assembly will consider whether to sell water rights to a Florida company.
Global Hydration wants to pay the city $10,000 dollars for the right to purchase some of the 9.5 billion gallons of untreated water from Blue Lake that the city is permitted to export each year.
Sitka can only export bulk water as long as it doesn’t affect the city’s ability to generate hydroelectric power or access drinking water. Two other companies already own the rights to purchase some of that water, but so far neither has exercised those rights.
In January, (1-14-25), the assembly postponed voting on the Global Hydration contract to give another company with water rights, Arctic Blue Waters, time to make good on its contract. Arctic Blue Waters was first in line for much of the water the city is allowed to sell, but in order to shore up its claim on that water, the company had to pony additional money.
In other business, the assembly will consider approving this year’s goals for the sustainability commission, and it will hear a presentation from the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust and NOAA on how Sitka can adapt its fisheries in response to climate change. The Sitka Assembly meets at 6 p.m. tonight. Raven News will broadcast the meeting live, following Alaska News Nightly.
