Difference between revisions of "Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (MPWSP)"

Revision as of 14:32, 9 April 2015

Project Summary

The Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (MPWSP) is a project designed to meet water production needs for the Monterey Peninsula. It will consist of a desalination plant, slant intake wells, pipelines for brackish water, pipelines for brine disposal, and production water delivery pipes, and is currently under construction^[1] In 2009, a cease and desist order from State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) was enacted to prevent CalAm from illegally diverting water from the Carmel River by December 31, 2016^[2]. The order requires a 70% reduction in water pumped from the Carmel River by the end of 2016^[3]. Due to this order, an alternative water source became necessary to fulfill the demand of the 40,000 customers in CalAm's Monterey District service area^[4]. In 2012, CalAm proposed the MPWSP (SCH#2006101004) to fill the growing need for water following the failure of the Regional Water Project (RWP). The MPWSP will consist of a series of slant wells designed to pump water to a desalination facility in Marina ^[1]. This project would include a 9.6 million gallons per day (MGD) desalination facility, an aquifer storage and recovery system (ASR), and a brine discharge system ^[1]. Additionally the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA) proposed the 3,500 acre foot per year Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment Project (MPGRP), which would reduce the desalination plant's water output from 9.6 MGD to 6.4 MGD^[1].

Costs

The MPWSP has an estimated cost of $277 million^[1]. These costs will be allocated to following portions of the project:

Rate Changes

With the installation of the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project, typical rate payers in the Monterey area can expect a 41% bill increase by 2018 ^[5]. The average citizen in the Monterey area uses approximately 74 units (10 cubic feet per unit). These citizens' monthly bill is expected to raise from $75 to an estimated $104 by 2018. Citizens will be affected differently based on the levels of their water consumption.

Current Status

Figure 1. MPWSP project area and preliminary facilities map^[4].

CalAm purchased a 46 acre property northwest of the MRWPCA's wastewater treatment plant, which is the proposed location of the desalination plant^[1]. Additionally, CalAm is in the process of securing permanent easements on a 376 acre property west of the proposed desalination facility, in hopes of using it for slant intake wells^[1]. In December 2014, CalAm began work on a test slant intake well located at the CEMEX sand mining facility in North Marina^[6]. Due to the presence of the Western Snowy Plover breeding grounds (threatened under the Endangered Species Act) near the test slant well, the location had to be returned to its original conditions by February 28, 2015^[7]. The February 28th slant well installation deadline was met, preventing drilling from being setback to October 1st^[7]. As of March 30, 2015 the test slant well is operational and is capable of recording data for up to 2 years^[8]. The overall MPWSP is on track to be completed within the scheduled four years, though its not expected to be completed by the December 31, 2016 deadline for Carmel River pumping reduction^[9].

Timeline

• 2009
  • Cease and desist order from SWRCB enacted which prevents CalAm from illegally diverting water and requires a 70% reduction in water taken from the Carmel River by December 31, 2016^[2]
• April 12, 2011
  • Investigation begins into the RWP, ultimately leading to a project shut-down
• April 23, 2012
  • CalAm filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission leading to the creation of the MPWP
• October 10, 2012
  • Notice of Preparition of the project's EIR was released^[4]
• September 2014
  • CalAm awarded $1 million grant by California Department of Water Resources for a test slant well^[10]
• December 2014
  • Drilling of a test slant intake well began at the CEMEX sand mining facility in Marina
• January 30, 2015
  • Reached the final depth of the slant well, testing its feasibility for the MPWSP water source^[11]
• March 30, 2015
  • Completed test slant well successfully and began pumping and returning water to the ocean^[8]. Data on this pumping event has been published ^[12]
• April 2015
  • Draft of the EIR is scheduled for release^[4]
• October 2015
  • Publication of the final EIR is scheduled for release^[4]

Links

• CEQA projects on the Central Coast
• MPWSP home page
• MPWSP page at CPUC site
• CEQAnet Project Description SCH Number 2006101004

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} MPWSP, Project Description
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Office of Ratepayer Advocates: Background - Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project
3. ↑ MPWSP, Home Page
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} CPUC, MPWSP Information Page
5. ↑ CalAm, MPWSP Effects on Rate - Estimates
6. ↑ In brief: Test slant well intake for Monterey Peninsula project now underway
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} MPWSP Temporary Slant Test Well, Project Description
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} KSBW Article, Cal-Am desalination well now pumping water
9. ↑ MPWSP: Progress Report, January 2015
10. ↑ California Water Association, CalAm Awarded $1 Million Grant for Desalination Slant Test Well
11. ↑ Monterey Herald Article: Cal Am test slant well to deliver key data
12. ↑ MPWSP, Test Slant Well Data Published

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