Editorial: Peninsula water needs decision supports desal
In 1987, the Carmel River Steelhead Association filed a complaint with the State Water Resources Control Board, arguing that utility company California American Water was pumping too much water from the Carmel River to supply users in and around the Monterey Peninsula, harming steelhead trout. That state board agreed, and in 1995, issued Order 95-10, directing Cal Am to find a replacement water supply for river water it was illegally siphoning away from the habitat. It’s 30 years later, and Cal Am has complied. Since 2021, it has pumped within its legal limit (3,376 acre-feet per year) from the Carmel, down from about 14,000 acre-feet at the time. And yet Order 95-10 is still in place, with state officials calling for a “permanent replacement” supply before lifting it. … For years, Cal Am and leaders in the hospitality industry have argued a “permanent replacement” will require massive new infrastructure – specifically, a desalination plant.
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