CalAm – Desalination in Marina California

California American Water (CAW) is pursuing the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project (MPWSP) to develop a new water supply that will replace the region’s existing reliance on the Carmel River and Seaside Aquifer. The water supply project includes the implementation of a new 6.4 mgd desalination facility to produce drinking water from seawater pulled from the Pacific Ocean via beach wells. Since 2013, Trussell has provided CAW with support services, offering expertise in desalination, Division of Drinking Water (DDW) permitting, post treatment stabilization design, and corrosion control. Trussell is currently serving as the owner’s representative for the MPSWP with regards to these topics.

Trussell assisted CAW with development of the seawater desalination facility conceptual design, which consists of pretreatment (including greensand filters for iron and manganese removal), reverse osmosis, post-treatment stabilization, and disinfection. Trussell also provided technical guidance during the design build procurement process, including RFP document preparation and design review.

In addition to design assistance, Trussell has provided support for all the key permitting aspects of the project by facilitating meetings and providing technical and scientific guidance on the necessary monitoring and treatment processes to meet current and future regulations. This has included providing responses to technical questions during the EIR process, assessing compliance with regulatory requirements for ocean discharge of reverse osmosis brine waste, organizing and overseeing source water LT2 pathogen monitoring for bin classification, and developing a Watershed Sanitary Survey. In addition, Trussell is working with CAW to pre-emptively understand how the distribution system will handle the introduction of a new water supply and is developing strategies to mitigate any future distribution system issues.