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Just to correct a couple things the brackish/treated water Cambria plant, which cost $9 million not $3 million, was approved and completed in 'record time' (quo
by Steko 11y ago
Just to correct a couple things the brackish/treated water Cambria plant, which cost $9 million not $3 million, was approved and completed in 'record time' (quote below). The picture of intractable government being painted in the comments here is only partially accurate.
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/03/18/3544036/cambria-water-plant-wins-global.html http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2015/03/18/3544036/cambria-wate...
In nominating the Cambria project, GWI said the fast-tracked construction of the project “is unprecedented in California” and “sets a new benchmark for what is achievable in the face of severe water stress.”
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The nomination also said, “Although the city had looked at seawater desalination before, Governor (Jerry) Brown’s declaration of a drought emergency freed up the possibility of developing an alternative brackish water option, which was exempt from a burdensome environmental review process, enabling it to move ahead in record time.”
If you want to see what life is like without environmental regulations take a trip to any major Chinese city. Has the pendulum maybe swung too far in the us? Perhaps, certainly in some ways and combined with nimby zoning there's certainly a lot of room for improvement. But in other ways it's worked great and with climate change you could argue the reverse.
- bsder 11y agoThanks for this. I was having trouble finding things newer than about 2010. I also note that one of the things that makes life more difficult for the water situation there is that they lost use of an aquifer due to gasoline contamination by Chevron.
- russell 11y agoChevron was forced to clean it up. Last fall the contaminated well was tested, found contaminant free, and brought back online. Since the cleanup was something like 20 years ago, I feel safe in drinking the water.
- russell 11y agoSorry, you are correct. The original estimate was $3 million (probably from the consulting company), as built $9 million. It was built in record time, but it would have been built even quicker if the coastal commission had been more cooperative. The CSD finally gave in. Examples of current restrictions: it can be used only for stage four droughts. It must go through the whole permit process again if it is to be used again. It has more stringent water quality restrictions. It cannot be used as the basis for additional water connections. Cambria has had a moratorium on new water hookups since 1991. If I spent $9 million on something, I would like to use it more than once without going through the whole process. BTW, The link to the Tribune just goes to their front page, but that's always problem if one is not a subscriber. The original desal plant wasnt just looked at. It was fully funded as demonstration desal plant in 2009 by Obama's jobs program.. It was finally killed by the Coastal Commission's refusal to allow the drilling of a test well on the beach to measure water flow. I'm not against environmental regulation. I certainly wouldnt want to live China or even Texas. We need more or more effective. Dont get me going on Wall street or regulatory capture or Citizens United.