Desalination is sprouting in Southern California

Monterey is the latest region that is proposing a desalination plant.

In the EIR stage, the desalination plant would pump 25,000 acre-feet of fresh water a year into the Monterey Peninsula's water system.

Public comments are being solicited to identify issues the public wants included in the environmental impact report.

Cal Am must find a way to replace the water it is drawing from the Carmel River to comply with an order given 11 years ago by the state Water Resources Control Board.

The idea of building a new dam on the Carmel River was rejected by voters. Cal Am is now proposing a Coastal Water Project that includes a desalination plant at Moss landing or Marina; an ocean water intake system; a brine discharge sytem; a distribution pipeline and an aquifer storage and recovery reservoir...and an injection well on Fort Ord.

Aquifer storage involves injecting extra water into the ground to refill the aquifer and store water underground as a hedge against the summer dry season.

Goals of the Coastal Water Project include:
- Satisfy the state WRCB order on Carmel River water
- Create a reliable, drought-proof water supply for Cal Am customers
- Protect the Seaside Basin aquifer's long-term water suply
- Protect public resources -- the Carmel River
- Protect area economic effects from uncertain water supplies
- Minimize water rate increases.

One of the options being looked at by the PUC and Cal Am is whether a regional desalination plant should produce only enough to comply with Order 95-10 or if it should add enough water to the system to supply future needs within the water company service area -- or even augment water supplies to the Marina Coast Water District and Fort Ord, and the Pajaro-Sunny Mesa Community Services District that provides water for North County.

Information about the Coastal Water Project and its process of complying with the California Environmental Quality Act is available at www.CWP-EIR.com.

The project proponent's environmental assessment is available at www.coastalwater project.com, and information and documents related to the PUC's rate case proceedings concerning Cal Am can be found at www.cpuc.ca.gov/ proceedings/A0409019.htm.