Orange County desalination project passes permitting hurdle
December 1, 2022
AWWA Articles
Orange County desalination project passes permitting hurdle
Amid an historic drought that has left the western United States with a dwindling water supply, California’s Coastal Commission in October unanimously approved a Coastal Development Permit for an Orange County desalination project.
The Doheny Ocean Desalination Project is a major infrastructure investment proposed by the South Coast Water District (SCWD) on behalf of its customers to ensure reliable water service well into the future. (Pictured right, conceptual rendering of proposed Doheny project.)
“This project will provide a new, more reliable, local source of water that will supplement imported and local supplies to district customers,” said Marc Serna, SCWD’s assistant general manager and chief engineer. “There will not be any difference in the way our customers receive water. The new Doheny Project will convey high-quality water into the same distribution system they are currently served with.”
The Coastal Development Permit is the second of three major permits (State Lands lease is the next) required in the planning and permitting stage, prior to the District’s Board of Directors determining next steps toward full project implementation.
SCWD currently imports about 90% of its drinking water supply, which is not sustainable. If implemented, the desalination project would be completed in 2027 and create a reliable, drought-proof water source that would decrease reliance on imported water and serve as an emergency backup.
The Doheny facility would be able to treat up to five million gallons per day and be located within 100 yards of existing local water transmission lines on property the SCWD already owns, minimizing costs and construction impacts.
The project is fully compliant with the California Ocean Plan. The plant’s source water would be accessed through subsurface intake wells, proposed to be at Doheny State Beach, that would be entirely buried under the ocean floor to protect marine life. The leftover brine would be discharged with treated wastewater into the ocean, the environmentally preferred method.
“This project avails a new, sustainable, local, and drought-proof water supply that is protective of the environment and preferred by regulatory agencies,” Serna said. “Extensive studies have shown the amount of water to be provided by the Doheny Project now, and in the future, is necessary to maintain a reliable and sustainable supply for SCWD and the region. The project is being undertaken in addition to other sustainable strategies including conservation, recycled water, indirect and direct potable reuse, and stormwater capture.”
Funding for the $140 million project will come from a variety of sources.
“It is projected that rates for average single-family residential customers will increase approximately 1 to 2 percent because of adding a new, more reliable, local water supply from the Doheny Project,” said Serna. “This percentage increase amounts to under $3 more per month for our average residential water customer.”
Water sustainability is a rising concern across the United States, and in particular in the West. The plan’s approval came just a few days after the completion of a Water Sustainability Think Tank discussion in Las Vegas, Nevada, part of the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Water 2050 initiative. During the three-day gathering, experts explored a range of topics, including watershed protection, infrastructure sustainability, net zero emissions and climate change.
SCWD provides potable water, recycled water, and wastewater services to approximately 35,000 residents, 1,000 businesses, and 2 million visitors per year in south Orange County, California.