Desalination Project Environmental Reports Released
April 02 2018 - 3:41PM
Business Wire
The long-awaited reports mark a major milestone
in the project’s development
Efforts to solve the Monterey Peninsula’s water crisis took a
major step forward after the California Public Utilities Commission
and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary released their joint
environmental report for California American Water’s proposed
seawater desalination project. The desalination is one of three
major components of the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply
Project.
The 1,000-plus page report based on years of research was
released in compliance with the California Environmental Quality
Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, each which mandated
analysis of the environmental impacts of the Water Supply Project’s
desalination component. The issuance of this document marks a
significant milestone in the project as the public will finally
have access to a comprehensive, scientific and independent analysis
of the project’s key elements.
“The public finally has a definitive report by both state and
federal agencies that provides comprehensive analysis on critical
issues based on scientific evidence and expert review,” California
American Water President Rich Svindland said. “This is a major step
forward in securing our water future. I’d like to thank the
California Public Utilities Commission as well as the Monterey Bay
National Marine Sanctuary for their work in providing these
extensive reports.”
The report includes analysis on the following topics:
- Project effects on the surrounding
environment.
- The need for a new water supply.
- Alternative water projects.
- Proposed projects with the least
environmental impact.
Both reports are available on the project’s website at
www.watersupplyproject.org/eir.
The National Environmental Policy Act and California
Environmental Quality Act are statutes that require federal, state
and local agencies to identify significant environmental impacts of
certain projects and ways to mitigate or avoid those impacts prior
to permitting.
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary was the lead federal
agency under NEPA, and the California Public Utilities Commission
was the lead state agency under CEQA.
The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project is designed to meet
the Monterey Peninsula’s water demands in a manner that is both
sustainable and permanent. The project consists of three main
components:
DESALINATION – Seawater will be drawn from the ocean through
slant wells drilled near the tide line. The seawater will be
filtered down through the ocean floor, then collected through slant
wells and piped to a desalination treatment plant to be constructed
near the Monterey One Water Regional Treatment Plant. At the plant,
the seawater will be put through various treatment processes,
including reverse osmosis, to remove all impurities. The salt
concentrate that is removed will be blended with other treated
effluent and returned to the ocean through the existing outfall
from the Monterey One Water’s regional treatment plant.
AQUIFER, STORAGE, RECOVERY – Already underway as a partnership
program between California American Water and the Monterey
Peninsula Water Management District, ASR takes winter flows from
the Carmel River and injects them into the natural underground
Seaside Aquifer for use during the dry summer months. To protect
wildlife, diverting water to the aquifer is only allowable under
high river flow conditions. In average rain years, ASR will be able
to supply 8.5 percent of our community’s water needs. The Monterey
Peninsula Water Supply Project will expand this program to meet its
full supply potential and also allow excess desalinated water
generated in wetter months to be stored in the Seaside Basin for
use in drier years.
PURE WATER MONTEREY – As part of the Monterey Peninsula Water
Supply Project, California American Water will purchase water from
Pure Water Monterey, a highly-treated recycled water project being
advanced by the Monterey One Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District. For more information on Pure Water Monterey,
visit purewatermonterey.org. Also included in the project are 30
miles of pipeline to deliver water from Marina to the Monterey
Peninsula, storage tanks, and pump stations.
California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE:
AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and wastewater
services to more than 690,000 people.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the
largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water
and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,900
dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based
drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an
estimated 15 million people in 46 states and Ontario, Canada.
American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water
services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing.
For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water
on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180402005777/en/
California American WaterCatherine StedmanOffice:
831-646-3208Mobile: 831-241-2990catherine.stedman@amwater.com
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