Sand City is one of a number of Peninsula cities impacted by limited water resources necessary to accommodate planned growth and redevelopment. Regional efforts to address this issue have encountered difficulties, both financial and political for more than 20 years. Due to this historic lack of progress, Sand City decided to implement its own water project with cooperation from the regional water public utility, California-American Water.
Sand City intends to construct and operate a reverse osmosis (RO)/desalination facility and potable water distribution system to serve customers in Sand City. Water to be treated at this facility will be obtained from the shallow groundwater aquifer near Monterey Bay. The project will supply potable water to residential and commercial customers in Sand City at a rate of up to 300 acre-feet per year.
The proposed project includes design features to avoid adverse environmental effects to coastal resources, including marine organisms, groundwater supplies, and sensitive habitat areas. The intended 300 AFY capacity of the facility will allow for recovery and fresh water recharge of the shallow, brackish groundwater aquifer. In addition, “reject” water (concentrate) from the RO desalination facility will not exceed the approximate salinity of seawater, and will be very similar in chemical composition. Injection of the concentrate in a below sea-level, horizontal well beneath a coastal bluff will not substantially alter the existing, naturally-occurring seawater/freshwater interface or result in localize salinity increases in the Bay.
This project is intended to provide water for existing and future development in accordance with the planned development, goals and objectives of the City’s General Plan, Local Coastal Plan, and Redevelopment Plan.
As of October of 2007, Sand City will have conducted 5 years of well testing, completed and certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in accordance with CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) requirements, obtained coastal development permit approval and permit amendment from the California Coastal Commission, and obtained a distribution permit approval from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. Approvals from other agencies are still pending. The City acquired consultant services through a competitive bid and interview process, for the design/build of the desalination facility. The City has also been awarded $2.9 million in grand funding through Proposition 50.
In order to provide maximum operational efficiency and minimizing expense, the City has arranged a lease and management agreement with the California American Water Company. In the course of time, Cal-Am will utilize water produced from the desalination plant to offset current over drafting of the Carmel River and Seaside Aquifer. As redevelopment in Sand City progresses, the City will re-coop use of that water as needed to meet redevelopment goals.
Completion and certification of the Project EIR 01/18/05
Issuance of City Coastal Development Permit 01/18/05
California Coastal Commission permit approval 05/11/05
Proposition 50 Grant accepted by City ($2.9 Million) 06/19/07
Lease agreement authorized with
California American Water Co.
10/09/07
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
approval of distribution permit
10/15/07
Lease agreement with California American Water Co. 10/09/07
U.S. Fish & Wildlife determination that the Project
construction will not result in a taking of
species listed under the Endangered Species Act
11/19/07
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