BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BAY -- A nonprofit environmental group has sued the Irvine

Ranch Water District to block the agency’s plan to convert the San

Joaquin Reservoir to a reclaimed water facility.

Defend the Bay, based in Newport Beach, filed the lawsuit in Orange

County Superior Court on Wednesday alleging that the water district

failed to complete adequate environmental review of the project prior to

a Dec. 18 approval by its board.

The lawsuit asks for a temporary restraining order to halt the project

until the agency completes an environmental impact report.

An Irvine Ranch Water District representative could not be reached for

comment.