MWD board OKs subsidies to boost Carlsbad seawater-to-drinking-water project
November 10, 2009 | 4:44
pm
A proposal to create the first major seawater desalination plant in Southern California received a major boost today when regional water managers approved a subsidy for the operation that could eventually grow to $350 million.
The privately owned plant would be built in Carlsbad, next to the Encina power station. When completed, it would produce enough water annually to serve roughly 100,000 households in San Diego County.
Read more about the project at Greenspace, The Times' environment blog.
This is a travesty. The Poseidon company has proven that it is a failure, with a over-budget, under-producing plant in Florida, that had to be bought out using tax payer money. This company comes in, makes a profit, and leaves the taxpayers with high water prices and paying to bail it out.
The MWD tried to eliminate its conservation credits several months ago to cut costs. A project that was actually working to protect our water future at a small portion of the cost that they voted to waste at today's vote.
Our public officials fail us again - wasting our money to subsidize for-profit companies so they can charge us more on our water bills.
Posted by: JustSo | November 10, 2009 at 08:58 PM
finally, some real solutions to so cals water problems
Posted by: Matt | November 10, 2009 at 10:21 PM