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STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project

(Application A.12-04-019, filed April 23, 2012)

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Project Description

Introduction and Project Purpose

The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (MPWSP) would include a 9.6 million gallon per day (mgd) desalination plant and facility improvements to the existing Seaside Groundwater Basin ASR system to secure water supplies for the approximately 40,000 customers in CalAm's Monterey District service area. As an alternative to the 9.6-mgd desalination plant, CalAm's application also includes a 6.4-mgd desalination plant coupled with a water purchase agreement for 3,500 afy of product water from the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency's proposed Pure Water Monterey Groundwater Replenishment Project. The MRWPCA has prepared a separate EIR for the Pure Water Monterey Groundwater Replenishment Project. That EIR is available for public review at purewatermonterey.org

The primary purpose of the MPWSP is to replace existing water supplies that have been constrained by legal decisions affecting the Carmel River and Seaside Groundwater Basin water resources. SWRCB Order 95-10 requires CalAm to reduce surface water diversions from the Carmel River in excess of its legal entitlement of 3,376 acre-feet per year (afy), and SWRCB Order 2016-0016 ("Cease and Desist Order") requires CalAm to develop replacement supplies for the Monterey District service area by December 2021. In 2006, the Monterey County Superior Court adjudicated the Seaside Groundwater Basin, effectively reducing CalAm's yield from the Seaside Groundwater Basin from approximately 4,000 afy to 1,474 afy.

 

Approved Project

The approved MPWSP would be comprised of the following facilities:

  • A source water intake system consisting of subsurface slant wells extending offshore into the Monterey Bay, and appurtenant facilities. The preferred site for the subsurface slant wells is a 376-acre coastal property located north of the city of Marina and within the CEMEX retired mining area. New pipelines would convey the source water from the slant wells to the MPWSP desalination plant.
  • A 6.4 million gallon per day desalination plant and appurtenant facilities on a 46-acre vacant parcel near Charles Benson Road, northwest of the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency's (MRWPCA) Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Monterey Regional Environmental Park. Facilities proposed at the MPWSP desalination plant include pretreatment, reverse osmosis, and post-treatment systems; chemical feed and storage facilities; a brine storage basin; and an administrative building. Brine produced during the desalination process would be conveyed to the existing MRWPCA ocean outfall and discharged to the Monterey Bay. Approximately 6,250 afy of potable water supplies would be produced by the desalination facilities and 3,500 acre-feet per year would be purchased from the Pure Water Monterey (PWM) Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) Project.
  • Up to 21 miles of desalinated water conveyance pipeline and mains, and associated facilities including a pump station, and clearwells.
  • Improvements to the existing Seaside Groundwater Basin ASR system, including two additional injection/extraction wells, and associated pipelines.

To view a project area map showing the preliminary project facilities, click here.

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