Description of the Proposed Project

Overview of scwd² Regional Seawater Desalination Project

The City of Santa Cruz and Soquel Creek Water District (scwd²) Regional Seawater Desalination Project (proposed project) would be located in the greater Santa Cruz area and would provide up to 2.5 million gallons per day (mgd) of potable drinking water. This water would help the District meet its water needs as it reduces its groundwater withdrawals of the overdrafted Soquel-Aptos area to prevent seawater intrusion and would help the City meet the water needs of its service area during drought periods.

Overview of Project Components

The conceptual components of the proposed scwd2 Regional Seawater Desalination Project would include:

• Seawater Intake:  A seawater intake structure, associated pump station, and conveyance piping, of which there would be offshore and onshore components that would likely be located between Mitchell’s Cove Beach and Seabright Beach.
• Desalination Plant: A seawater desalination plant located on the west side of the City of Santa Cruz that would provide for pretreatment filtration, seawater reverse osmosis, post-treatment conditioning and disinfection, and solids handling processes and their associated support facilities.
• Brine Disposal System: Brine disposal and conveyance system that would deliver brine generated at the plant to the City’s WWTP outfall.
• Conveyance System:  A water supply delivery system that would deliver the potable desalinated water into the City’s water supply system and provide water to the District.

Operational Strategy

The operational strategy for the desalination facility would provide water supply during a drought to the City of Santa Cruz service area. During non-drought periods, the plant would provide water supply for Soquel Creek Water District. Concepts for an operational plan will be developed by the Task Force for final approval by the legislative bodies of both the City of Santa Cruz and Soquel Creek Water District. The plan shall include policies and procedures for determining when each agency would have primary use of the plant. Key issues include:

• District would use desalination facility to supply customers while resting  existing wells to recharge the aquifers and protect groundwater resources
• City would coordinate with District for Santa Cruz use of the plant in drought periods
• Each agency  would finance the operational costs of the plant associated with their use

Ongoing analysis that will influence the environmental review

Several technical studies have been conducted or are currently underway that will help inform the EIR, including the documents listed below:

 

• Watershed Sanitary Survey  (completed July 2010)
• Dilution Study for Brine Disposal (completed November 2010)
• Intake studies:  Screened Open-Ocean Intake Effects Study(completed December 2010), Offshore Geophysical Study(Completed August 2010), and Intake Feasibility Study(currently being conducted)
• Energy Minimization and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Study (currently being conducted)

Click on the names of the reports above to access the Executive Summaries.  If you'd like to see the full document, please contact Heidi Luckenbach @ 831-420-5214.

For more information on current activities, click here.