Reliable water is San Diego's lifeblood; desalination plan cannot die now
North County Times It is no exaggeration to say that political leaders from throughout the region have a decision to make on Thursday that will significantly impact the economy and the quality of life throughout San Diego County Board members of the San Diego County Water Authority, representing two dozen separate water agencies in the region, will decide the fate of a $1 billion plan, more than 12 years in the making, to build what would be the largest and most technologically advanced desalination plant in the United States. The reasons to move forward are compelling. But the issues involved are weighty and a decision in favor is hardly considered a slam dunk. Download the full article.
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San Diego Union-Tribune. Written by Deborah Sullivan Brennan
In Carlsbad, Poseidon Resources wants to filter salt from seawater to serve a thirsty county. And in San Diego Bay, the company plans to submerge 66 acres of dry scrub to create a saltwater marsh. By restoring wetland in an area once covered by farms and salt flats, Poseidon aims to compensate for marine life harmed by its proposed desalination plant. That facility would take in 100 million gallons of seawater per day, use reverse osmosis to generate 50 million gallons of highly purified drinking water and then discharge the leftover water back into the Agua Hedionda lagoon. San Diego Union-Tribune:
JENKINS: Desal is a slam-dunk Eight years ago, Matt Hall, then a councilman and now mayor of Carlsbad, gave me the dope on desal. It boils down to time and money, he said. As sure as summer will be hot and dry, imported water from the Sacramento Delta and the Colorado River will become more scarce while the SoCal population inexorably grows. Supply dwindles, demand swells. There’s an economic law in there somewhere. Download the full article. SDCTA Supports Agreement to Purchase Desalinated Water from Proposed Carlsbad Plant
Watchdog group cites ratepayer protections in 30-year deal SAN DIEGO – November 19, 2012: The San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) Board of Directors voted Friday to support the Water Purchase Agreement for the drinking water produced by the Carlsbad Desalination Project. The organization determined the comprehensive contract between the County Water Authority (CWA) and the project developer, Poseidon Resources, provides considerable protections for ratepayers, minimizing the risk to ratepayers of nonperformance and construction cost overruns. “Our support is in part based on the numerous ratepayer protections built into the agreement, which ensure that major risks are on the project’s developer and not on the public,” said Lani Lutar, President and CEO of the Taxpayers Association. Download the full article. San Diego Union-Tribune. By City of Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall
The city of Carlsbad, like San Diego as a region, has worked hard to build strong biotechnology research, tourism and manufacturing industries, as well as support the continuing viability of agriculture. For these important sectors to remain competitive in the future, we must create reliable, local water sources. Relying almost exclusively on imported water, as we do now, puts us at the mercy of drought and water politics. That's why the public overwhelmingly supports development of drought-proof water sources such as the Carlsbad Desalination Project. Download the full article. |
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