Addendum to Monterey Peninsula water supply study released

PACIFIC GROVE, CA, Oct. 27, 2011 -- California American Water has issued an addendum to the technical memorandum concerning water supply alternatives designed to meet the Monterey Peninsula's water supply. The original memo, which was prepared by RBF Consulting, examined 11 water projects capable of meeting the area's water deficit. The addendum provides possible timelines for those projects and also corrects an accounting error in the original report that overestimated the cost of a desalination option by $124 million.

California American Water must develop a replacement water supply for the Monterey Peninsula in order to comply with state-ordered water cutbacks. In 2009, the California State Water Resources Control Board issued a Cease and Desist Order that reduced the amount of water that can be drawn from the Carmel River, the community's primary water source, by nearly 70 percent over the next six years.

"The analysis and timeline provides us with an objective look on an equal basis at each of the possible projects," said California American Water Director of Engineering Richard Svindland. "The likely timing of each project is vital to any analysis due to the requirement to reduce the draws of water from the Carmel River incrementally in each of the coming six years."

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