Marin’s abandoned desal plan looms over drought crisis
The Marin Municipal Water District, facing the possibility of running out of water next summer, is scrambling to plan for two emergency projects to keep the taps flowing in case of another dry winter: a temporary desalination plant and a pipeline across San Francisco Bay. But nearly 11 years ago, the district chose not to build a desalination plant that could have supplied as much as 60% of its current yearly potable water demand — though at a high price. The district, which serves 191,000 residents in central and southern Marin, had been exploring desalination since the early 1990s and has tested two pilot desalting sites.
Related article:
- Marin Independent Journal: Opinion – Water district could have built desalination plant long ago, written by Michael Aaronson.