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PROPOSED NEW MONTEREY COUNTY DESALINATION PLANS

From the Monterey County Herald
Serving Monterey County and the Salinas Valley
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2003

Weighing Water options

Keep Peninsula water issues on the Peninsula with a Sand City desalination plant

By KRIS LINDSTROM, ZAN HENSON and MOLLY ERICKSON
Guest Commentary

You've been hearing a lot about the California-American Water Co.'s proposal to build a desalination plant in Moss Landing. North County residents are justifiably unhappy. They were not consulted; the plant won't help them. Elkhorn Slough's natural environment would be at risk because of the needs of the Monterey Peninsula.

There is an alternative proposal -- for a local desalination plant that would bring water to you faster and less expensively than Cal-Am's Moss Landing plant.

A comparison of the two desalination proposals -- Cal-Am's Moss Landing plant, and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District's Sand City plant -- follows. There are critical differences. Both desal plants will provide:

• Drought protection. Desalination provides true drought protection to the community. Desalination is not dependent on rainfall. That means no more rationing when rainfall is below average.

• Legal water. The plants would provide legal water and satisfy State Order 95-10, which requires Cal-Am to reduce pumping from Carmel River. Order 95-10 found that the river has been overpumped since the late 1980s, causing severe environmental damage, and also that Cal-Am had no legal right to pump all that water. The state can fine us ratepayers because Cal-Am pumps too much water. Order 95-10 states that "new" water on the Peninsula first must replace the overpumped water. We have no choice. We must legalize our water.

• Restoration of Carmel River. Without Cal-Am's harmful overpumping, the Carmel River can return to a more natural state, enhancing recreational opportunities, restoring habitat for thousands of birds, fish and mammals, and protecting endangered species.

However, only the Sand City desal plant would give us the following benefits:

• Lowest cost. Local desal provides the cheapest water available, according to engineering reports. Desalinated water from Moss Landing is much more expensive due to the $45 million pipeline to bring the water to the Peninsula.

• Public ownership and local control. The voters do not support projects that lead to uncontrolled growth. Your recently-elected water board has followed that direction. All Monterey Peninsula Water Management District water supply projects must be approved by the voters. The proposed Sand City plant keeps the public in control.

In contrast, a privately owned Cal-Am Moss Landing plant would be under the jurisdiction of the state Public Utilities Commission, not locally elected officials. Cal-Am can build projects without voter approval or control. (But we end up paying for Cal-Am projects even though we can't vote on them.) Peninsula voters would lose control.

• Elimination of the divisive growth issue. A local plant would produce legal water in an amount equal to the current overpumping. It would not be burdened with the controversial growth issue that caused voters to turn down a desal plant in 1993 and a giant dam in 1995.

In contrast, Cal-Am's Moss Landing plant would lead to more growth for the entire region. Cal-Am is in the business of selling water. Cal-Am's foreign owner RWE-Germany will want to expand the plant to increase profits.

• Expansion with voter approval only. If, in the future, voters decide they want to approve more water, a local plant could be enlarged. Desalination plants are constructed in modular units.

In contrast, a Cal-Am Moss Landing plant would have no real limits and could be expanded repeatedly, without voter approval.

• Fastest solution. A local desal plant could be online within two years of voter approval. Cal-Am estimates its Moss Landing plant would take at least five to seven years.

We agree. Three years ago, the former water board and Cal-Am were pursuing a dam, against the public's will. Today, the current water board has taken many positive steps, with the public's support.

We want a legally defensible, environmentally sound solution. The solution to the Peninsula's water needs should be on the Peninsula, not, like Cal-Am proposes, by dumping a Monterey Peninsula problem onto North County.

With your support, we will build a solution that is locally controlled and voter approved. You, through your directly-elected representatives, would retain control of your community water supply.

Kris Lindstrom, Zan Henson and Molly Erickson are elected directors of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD). All seven water board directors can be reached through Arlene Tavani at the district office, 658-5652.