For Immediate Release
November 30, 2018
Contact: Melanie Mow Schumacher
Phone: 831-475-8501 x153
Email Melanie
Status Update on Community Water Plan Water Supply Options to be presented to District Board on December 4
Information includes updated cost estimates and activities related to community values.
Soquel, CA (November 30, 2018) – At its upcoming meeting on December 4, the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors will hear an update on the water supply options within its Community Water Plan, which is the District's roadmap to addressing seawater intrusion and creating long-term water reliability and sustainability.
In 2013, after evaluation of a joint desalination project with the City of Santa Cruz was put on hold, the District embarked on a yearlong process with significant public input to evaluate and select a water supply alternative. The results of this process included a community survey identifying the top six qualities that District customers value in a future water supply source as well as selection of three water supply options to further evaluate: purified recycled water (Pure Water Soquel), water transfers, and desalination (Deep Water Desal in Moss Landing). In 2017, stormwater was added as another source to consider.
Over the last four years, the District has conducted a substantial amount of work and effort on the four water supply options. While the Board and the District's Water Supply and Infrastructure Standing Committee frequently receive periodic updates on the various options, the presentation on December 4 should serve as a condensed and unified summary of the supply options' current standings.
"Our community has provided us with the guidance and six values that they feel are important in a water supply project: reliability, water quality, timeliness to address seawater intrusion, protection of the environment, scalability, and affordability," said Ron Duncan, General Manager. "The update addresses these community values for the four water supply options currently under consideration". This effort also includes developing updated cost estimates for the options to address the Board's goal of a project being online by 2022 and creating parity.
The community is invited to attend this Board meeting, taking place at 6 pm at the Capitola City Council Chambers, 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola. The staff report and accompanying technical memorandum for this agenda item offer more details on the Community Water Plan supply options, and are available in the December 4, 2018 Board Packet.
