Securing Additional Water Sources

By Muril Clift

After reviewing the alternatives - why desalination is the answer.

For 30 years, Cambrians have battled over how to provide more water to the community. For most of those years, the issue was actually stopping or controlling growth. Now that a plan for controlling, and ultimately limiting growth has begun, developing a sufficient and reliable water source should be a CCSD priority.

These additional water sources have been proposed:

- Increased conservation
- Increased well production, or additional wells
- Wastewater recycling
- Surface storage reservoir
- Water importation
- Desalination of seawater

Here are the realities of each alternative:

Increased conservation:

Conservation is the most cost effective means of finding additional water, as it requires only small investments in retrofits, and since reducing usage costs nothing. However, for Cambria, an insignificant amount of additional water is possible here. The average Cambrian already uses less than half the water that other Californians use. Most homes have been retrofitted or built with low-flow plumbing fixtures. Additionally, a large proportion of homeowners have installed drought tolerant landscaping. Businesses have also taken measures to reduce their water usage. Certainly, continued conservation is vital for maintaining Cambrians' low usage, but increased conservation can no longer provide sufficient additional water to meet our needs. Most important, conservation cannot meet our needs during an extended drought.

Increased well production, or additional wells:

The CCSD does not have superior rights to the ground water from the San Simeon Creek, or Santa Rosa Creek well fields. We are thus limited in the amount of water that can be taken from these wells. Additionally, the San Simeon wells must always contain sufficient water to prevent seawater intrusion. Landowners upstream from CCSD wells have superior rights to the water, and could take legal action against us if we overdraft it. These restrictions mean that little source of additional water is available from these well fields. Furthermore, the wells are subject to reduced production through drought, and have historically been shut down by MTBE pollution.

Recycled Water:

Water recycling should be expanded to the extent possible. It is also the best immediate, short-term source of additional water while a permanent source is developed. However, water recycling has some inherent restrictions, and the amount of new water that can be delivered is ultimately limited by the amount of water used in the recharge basin. It could also be limited by a reduction in overall usage of potable water during a severe drought. Implementing an area wide recycling program would require a complete, second pipeline delivery service to all areas of the community. I perceive that the cost of this extensive system could not be justified based on the amount of water available. Recycled water can be mandated to certain high volume users, and voluntary user programs can be established. I would support early implementation of this technology (without constructing a second pipeline delivery service), as it faces fewer environmental and regulatory problems inherent in other options.

Surface storage + reservoir:

Surface water storage was probably a viable option several years ago, when an offer was made to provide land for a reservoir. Today, with land and construction costs at an all time high, and with regulations for developing a large, multi-acre facility near the coast so restrictive, completing a project in any foreseeable future would be difficult. Even if such a project could be completed, the amount of water available for storage would be subject to the forces of nature. This year, we have seen many reservoirs, nationwide, dry up. Furthermore, all water placed in the reservoir would be subtracted from the natural flow that recharges our wells, and prevents saltwater intrusion.

Water importation:

This is an available source of additional water; however, unlike all the above sources, we would be relying on contracts with other water providers. These may sell water available today, but tomorrow's water could become unavailable when we most need it, for several reasons. Again, natural forces like drought can affect the total amount available, and thus reduce supplies. Obviously, relying on importation removes our primary control over the water. Importation also means both construction and maintenance costs of pipelines, pumping stations and right-of way-purchases that could be make this a very expensive alternative with unpredictable supplies over time.

Desalination:

This presents the best long-term solution for a dependable water source. The Pacific Ocean is an unlimited water source not subject to natural forces like drought. It is close at hand, and does not require extensive pipelines, or right-of-way expenses. Although pollution is possible, it is highly unlikely to disable the system at length, as was the case in the Santa Rosa well field pollution. As system owners, we would have complete independence from outside forces controlling any imported water. The allocated Federal grant makes plant construction more than competitive with the other alternatives, and new ideas in solar and wind power generation may greatly reduce the operational energy costs.

Summary:

We must use a comprehensive strategy to meet both our current and future water needs. To do that, we must build on the success of our collective conservation efforts, and expand all possible uses of recycled water, while planning for the long-term solution - desalination.