The project is scheduled to be complete by 2015 to produce 10 million gallons of water daily for the Monterey Peninsula, replacing water currently taken from the Carmel River in compliance with a state order requiring a 70% cut back on water taken from the Carmel River by 2016.
The$400m desalination project will include construction of a new water pipeline to transport potable water from the area of Marina south to the Monterey Peninsula and related storage facilities and the removal of the San Clemente Dam among other works.
CAW plans to file for California Coastal Commission approval for Regional Desalination Project in 2011 and prepare the engineering, design and technical reports for approval by a variety of state and federal agencies.
The project is expected to increase California American Water customers’ average monthly water bills from $38 to approximately $80 over the next five years.
California American Water president Rob MacLean said that the approval by the CPUC allows CAW to proceed with final design work and ultimately, construction.
