Desal

[Larry S]

-from today's San Diego UT -
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/sep/26/drought-carlsbad-poseidon-california-water/

Bullet train? Fuhgeddaboudit! Let's get on the fast track to solving a very serious problem.

Best,
Larry S

[Darian]

Interesting article. According to the map, there're more DeSal projects already up and running than I thought.

SWRCB has been studying/working on this for at least a year. Some of the material is on their website. I've not seen the proposed regulations, yet, but it seems like discharge of brine from these facilities is not going to be a deal breaker by itself for DeSal. There's always a possibility of over-regulation that could raise costs significantly but who knows until the proposed regs are available to read(???).

[Larry S]

SoCal desal -
http://www.triplepundit.com/2015/01/largest-seawater-desalination-plant-open-next-year/

IMO, the Fortune mag article seems quite slanted. Yes, conservation remains a top strategy. Still,
consider the possibilities of continued droughts. Also, you can't store "virtual" water! We need more of these.
Lots of water to the west and lots of solar energy to the east.

[Darian]

I'm confused by the point made by the Watershed Alliance people objecting to DeSal for SoCal. All SoCal water districts are trying to develop a water portfolio to address potential shortages and reduce reliance on CVP/SWP water. Absent other alternatives, seems like watersheds in SoCal would become the target for potential new dams/reservoirs (in watersheds like San Gabriel and/or Santa Ana Rivers???). So, by objecting the alliance appears to be saying that increased storage is OK with them.

IMO, the battle over approval of expanded DeSal is key to whether the current form of the BDCP will ever be viable.

[Larry S]

Darian,
People need to consider the water loss due to evaporation in reservoirs. The environmental concerns of desal are always
high on the agenda for those opposed. These are being addressed and should be compared to those concerns of storage
facilities. The price differential is also a constant debating point. Well; how much are you going to be willing to pay
when shortages become extremely critical?
Think of the positive press the Central Valley farmers would get if they decided to fund a coastal desal.
Best to you.

[Darian]

Hi Larry,.... The drumbeat about the expense of DeSal as opposed to anything else is beginning to slow as the price for water has been steadily increasing due to the drought, according to what I've been reading. IMO, the problem all along has been the price of cheap water purchased from the CVP/SWP. Prices established for contract periods of 25 years without periodic review and failing to use market value for water amount to subsidies which are paid for by ratepayers and those subsidized prices are what makes DeSal appear to be more costly.

It doesn't appear that the feds/state have it in mind to increase prices. The BDCP will allow contracts for up to 50 years duration and, according to the settlement reached between Westlands and the Feds, Westlands would receive a contract for water for as long as they are in existence, if approved. IMO, this is the really big issue. Imagine lifetime contracts without price escalation for a scarce commodity that you cannot exist without. What a way to control costs for big Ag....

At any rate, one of the considerations that should be taken into account by those that oppose DeSal is the potential for economical/environmental damage to other areas that are alternative sources by relying on them to the detriment of places like the Delta.

One of the recent alternatives is the smaller, more economical DeSal plant as in the Cambria Pines installation. Apparently, there are even solutions to disposing of the brine resulting from DeSal in that project as well. So, if it's possible to minimize damage to the ocean environment, I don't see many valid reasons to oppose DeSal, scaled to need, as a part of a water portfolio.

[Larry S]

Cambria;
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/11/08/3339786/cambria-csd-water-treatment-plant.html

Larry S

[Mike O]

Still wanna know what they are gonna do with the salt...

[Larry S]

Mike,
Haven't seen that problem mentioned in my brief searches. It does appear that originally, the Cambria project
was to be a more traditional facility. That area is still suffering from the Chevron mess.
Here's a neat desal "primer" link
http://www.quickiwiki.com/en/Desalination
Best to you,
Larry S

[Darian]

In the Cambria project, brine (salt) remaining from DeSal is anticipated to be minimal as they are using grey water mixed with ocean water for a source. So, the brine will be re-cycled. That doesn't answer all of the questions involved but seems like a good choice. In the Poseidon project (SoCal), the disposal of brine will conform to CA SWRCB regulations (whatever they are). The original design called for pumping the brine out to open water for mixing/disposal.

I recently read a description of a small DeSal project for processing ag run-off on a farm in the Fresno area, oddly enough. The method of disposal chosen for this project is to harvest the salt for sale/use.

Lots to learn on this subject and we, apparently, are in the early stages of exploration of alternatives....

[Larry S]

Darian,
Thanks for the info. You are one of the "go to guys' that we count on.
I fully understand the problems associated with desal. Still,
it's criminal to ignore it.
Best,
larry S

[Darian]

Larry,.... I guess I just forget where you live sometimes. Being down there in the middle of all this gives you a great perspective.