… The Monterey Peninsula is a water island, disconnected from the vast state and federal water delivery systems that serve other parts of California. This isolation means our fate rests entirely on limited local resources. The state’s order, 30 years ago, to reduce pumping from the river is not just a regulatory hurdle; it’s a critical environmental mandate to protect endangered species and restore the health of one of our most important natural assets. Without a new, reliable source of water, we cannot meet this mandate while also providing for the needs of our community. The desalination project represents the most comprehensive and shovel-ready answer to this challenge.
–Written by Adam Pinterits, the government and community affairs director for the Monterey County Association of Realtors.