West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors from left to right: Donald L. Dear, Carol W. Kwan, Gloria D. Gray, Harold C. Williams and Scott Houston. (courtesy photo)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Following the West Basin Municipal Water District’s (West Basin) briefing on its responsible Ocean Water Desalination Program to the Inglewood City Council on May 17, the city council supported the district’s desalination program contingent on West Basin meeting specific conditions.
The city’s support for a responsible desalination program is based on West Basin’s commitment to the following conditions: that the proposed project meet and/or surpass the new environmentally protective regulations set by the State of California; that the cost of the desalinated drinking water be similar to the cost of West Basin’s non-potable recycled water program; and that the proposed project use the same amount of energy as importing water (carbon neutral), at a minimum, while striving to be carbon zero and use renewable energy sources.
Gloria D. Gray, West Basin’s division II director representing the city of Inglewood expressed her appreciation for the Council’s support and stated: “As part of our mission to provide a reliable supply of water to our communities, it is important that we explore ocean water desalination as a potential drinking water supply.”
“West Basin thanks the Inglewood City Council for supporting the district as we continue to explore ways to ensure long-term water reliability for the region,” added Gray, who also serves as vice chair of the Metropolitan Water District board of directors and member of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission Governing Board. “It is encouraging to see us all work together to ensure we have a reliable and sustainable supply of water in the future.”
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process began in fall 2015 and is currently underway. The report, which will provide information to analyze ocean water desalination as a viable future drinking water supply, is expected be finalized in late 2016 or early 2017. Upon review of the final EIR, the West Basin Board of Directors will decide whether to proceed with the program and proposed project for either a 20 or a 60 million gallon a day ocean water desalination facility located at the primary proposed site in El Segundo, Calif. (with an alternate proposed site in Redondo Beach, Calif.).
For more information about West Basin’s Ocean Water Desalination program, please visitwww.westbasin.org/desal.
###
About West Basin Municipal Water District
West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) is a wholesale water agency that provides imported drinking water to nearly one million people in 17 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County. West Basin is an industry leader in water recycling, conservation, and water education. West Basin is currently implementing a Water Reliability program to reduce the agency’s dependence on imported water and develop drought-proof local water supplies. The program includes water recycling, water conservation, groundwater desalting and ocean water desalination. Visit www.westbasin.org to learn more.
About West Basin’s Ocean Water Desalination Program
Since 2002, West Basin has been researching responsible ocean water desalination in a manner that protects marine life, maximizes energy efficiency and minimizes cost. West Basin is currently conducting an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that will assess the potential environmental impacts of implementing a proposed ocean water desalination facility producing 20 and 60 million gallons per day (MGD) of drinking water. For more information about West Basin’s Ocean Water Desalination Program, visitwww.westbasin.org/desal.
