The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced they will provide a $10 million grant to public utility, California American Water, to help build the seawater desalination component of the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project, the company’s solution to the Monterey Peninsula’s long-standing water shortage.
“We are extremely grateful to DWR for supporting our project,” said California American Water president Rich Svindland. “This grant will reduce costs to our customers for this project, which is urgently needed to protect the local river and groundwater and to meet the demands of the community in a sustainable way.”
The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project is a $329 million project featuring a portfolio of water supply components to address the area’s water needs. In 2009, the California State Water Resources Control Board issued a Cease and Desist Order to limit pumping from the Carmel River, the community’s major source of water supply and home to threatened species. The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project includes a seawater desalination facility relying on slant well technology, which eliminates harm to marine life in the process of drawing ocean water for treatment. Other aspects of the project include recycled water, continued conservation and aquifer storage of excess winter river flows. The company received approval for the project from the California Public Utilities Commission in September of 2018. Additional permits are required, including approval from the California Coastal Commission, anticipated later this year.
“With only 100,000 customers served in our Monterey District, finding cost savings for this project is of critical importance,” said Svindland. “We have also applied to the state for State Revolving Fund low-interest loans, will continue to engage in value engineering and always, to look for additional opportunities for savings.”
DWR provides grants to local agencies for the planning, design, and construction of potable water desalination facilities for both brackish and ocean water. It also provides grants for pilot, demonstration, and research projects. Since 2005, DWR has completed three rounds of funding using Proposition 50 funds. Grant disbursements generally occur after costs are incurred and are provided after review of expense documentation provided by the grantee with invoices. After project completion, there may be annual reporting for up to five years to describe briefly the results of the project.
