It’s been nearly a year since the California Coastal Commission gave an Orange County water district the green light to build a new desalination plant in Dana Point. So I decided to check in to see how the project is coming along.
State officials on Friday cleared the final major regulatory hurdle for the Doheny desalination plant, which aims to use ocean to help shore up drinking water supplies for drought-ridden Southern California. The California State Lands Commission unanimously granted South Coast Water District a 20-year lease for land off Doheny State Beach, in Dana Point.
While the progress of the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project appears to now be gaining steam, South Coast Water District staff members are aware of the process’ tediousness.
The project, which would construct a facility on SCWD-owned property near San Juan Creek to draw water through the ocean, remove all the salt, and distribute clean drinking water throughout the district—including Dana Point and partnering entities—has been in the works for more than 15 years.
Public support for proposed desalination plants in Huntington Beach and Dana Point appears strong in two recent polls, although opponents call the surveys biased and say neither poll addresses key obstacles facing these very different projects.
One poll showed 76% support among Huntington Beach residents for the proposal there. Another said support ranged from 64% to 80% for the project located near Doheny State Beach, depending on how the question was framed.
Save as much as we can, for as long as we can.
That’s the new motto for Toni Nelson, who heads the community advocacy group Capo Cares, as the Dana Point resident pushes for the continual effort to save Capistrano Beach before it disappears into the sea – much of it has in recent years.
Work kicked off recently to add more than 500 sand cubes to a stretch of Dana Point, an emergency measure to save a city storm drain and water quality treatment facility that also inadvertently is helping a portion of pathway used frequently by walkers, joggers and bikers that is in danger of crumbling
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
