But $300,000 decision hinges on Contra
Costa’s investment
Morgan Hill – The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s governing board has decided to invest almost $300,000 in a two-year pilot project to operate a small-scale desalination plant in the Bay Area – but only if a partnering agency raises its own contribution.
In a 4-2 vote Tuesday, the district’s board of directors agreed to continue participating in the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Desalination Project. The three-year-old effort explores the possibility of a desalination plant along with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the East Bay Municipal Utility District and the Contra Costa Water District.
But the board first wants the Contra Costa Water District to pitch in more money for the project, and the decision to move forward is contingent on that request.
The Contra Costa Water District wants to contribute $203,100 for the project, while the other agencies have pledged $283,533. A $1 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources would cover the rest of the $1.9 million project.
“We always want to collaborate regionally, but this was an item where many of the board members thought that one of the agencies wasn’t pulling its weight,” said Santa Clara Valley Water District Director Rosemary Kamei, adding she voted against the project with director Joe Judge. “I personally did not feel that this particular project would have a good return on investment.”
Water district staff found that desalination could be a sound long-term water supply investment, but staff also stated the regional desalination arrangement would prevent needed repairs on existing water utilities and forego expansion of groundwater recharge capacity.
But it was the Contra Costa Water District’s insistence on a lesser amount of contribution that most irked the board. According to Santa Clara Valley Water District officials, the four project partners have shared costs and responsibilities on an equal basis prior to the proposed pilot phase. And, altering that practice of shared responsibility could disturb future partnering relationships.
The four partners are the largest water districts in the Bay Area. Since 2003, the agencies have explored the potential of a regional desalination plant to convert brackish bay water into drinking water.
The plant would provide a supplemental water supply during long droughts and Delta levee failures that could be caused by earthquakes. Additionally, a desalination plant would allow major facilities such as treatment plants, water pipelines and pump stations to be taken off-line for repairs without affecting supply.
The site for the pilot plant and, most likely, the full-scale facility would be located in Contra Costa County.
The pilot plant would allow the four water districts to assess the feasibility of running a full-scale desalination facility that could supplement the water needs of more than 5 million households served by the four-agency consortium.
The next step of the project, if it moves forward, is to build and operate a pilot plant to study effects on marine life and maintenance of micro-filtration and reverse osmosis systems.
