Saturday, June 29, 2013

MONTEREY PENINSULA GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT PROJECT (GWR PROJECT)

ABSTRACT:  The Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA) has formed a partnership with American Water Company and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District in proposing a Groundwater Replenishment Project (GWR Project).  “A groundwater replenishment project would recharge the Seaside groundwater basin with high quality purified water. The project being considered is sustainable, drought-resistant and would improve and protect drinking water supplies. The GWR Project is in advanced planning stages, and has been expedited to be online by the Fall of 2016,” according to the Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment Project website.  Information and links to more information are presented.  The 30-day comment period for the NOTICE OF PREPARATION (NOP) OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE MONTEREY REGIONAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY’S PROPOSED GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT PROJECT closes at 5:00 PM on July 2, 2013.  Written comments can be submitted by mail, email and fax:
Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency
Administration Office
ATTN: Bob Holden, Principal Engineer
5 Harris Ct., Bldg. D
Monterey, CA 93940
By Email: gwr@mrwpca.com
By Fax: (831) 372-6178
  
PROJECT OVERVIEW

Proposed Project Overview 

The proposed Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment Project (GWR Project) will recharge the Seaside groundwater basin with high quality purified water. The project is sustainable, drought-resistant and will improve and protect drinking water supplies. The project is in advanced planning stages and has been expedited to be online by the fall of 2016 and cost less than $3,000/Acre-Foot.


The proposed Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment for the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project is to be modeled after the highly successful Orange County Groundwater Replenishment System (GwRS) which has safely provide purified water for 35 years.

MRWPCA’s treated water would be put through an additional three-step Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) purification process of microfiltration (MF), reverse osmosis (RO), and oxidation with ultra violet light (UV) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)


Up to 3,700 acre-feet per year would be made available by the Project

What is the Proposed Groundwater Replenishment Project?
The Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA), like many other agencies in California, is studying ways to fully reuse its wastewater. Under the planned scenario, treated wastewater will be further purified using advanced treatment processes. This water would then percolate or filter through the soil naturally into the aquifer, just like rainwater. This process "recharges" or helps replenish the aquifer while safeguarding it from seawater intrusion.

Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) Project
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT SCOPING MEETING
Tuesday, June 18, 2013


 PROPOSED PROJECT IN YOUR AREA
As project lead Agency, the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA), is preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for its proposed Monterey Peninsula Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) Project. The GWR Project would create a reliable source of replacement water supply by taking highly - treated water from a new advanced water treatment plant, and recharging the Seaside Groundwater Basin (or Seaside Basin) with the treated water using a series of shallow and deep injection wells. Once recharged into the Seaside Basin, the treated water would mix with groundwater present in the aquifer and be stored for future use.
The primary purpose of the GWR Project is to provide 3,500 acre-feet per year (AFY) of high quality replacement water to California American Water Company (Cal-Am) for delivery to customers in their Monterey District service area, thereby enabling Cal-Am to reduce its diversions from the Carmel River system by this same amount.
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the scope of environmental issues as well as alternatives and mitigation measures which should be explored in the Draft EIR.

YOU CAN COMMENT ON THE PROJECT EIR
Participants are encouraged to submit written comments, and comment forms will be supplied at the scoping meeting. Written comments may also be submitted anytime during the NOP scoping period to the mailing address, fax number, or email address listed below:

By Mail:
Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency
Administration Office
ATTN: Bob Holden, Principal Engineer
5 Harris Ct., Bldg. D
Monterey, CA 93940

By Email: gwr@mrwpca.com

By Fax: (831) 372-6178

The 30-day comment period closes at 5:00 PM on July 2, 2013.

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