|
State backs Marin desalination projectBy Mark Prado Friday, April 01, 2005 - The Marin Municipal Water District is in line to receive $3.3 million in state funding to build a $77 million project to turn bay water into drinking water. The state's Department of Water Resources indicated yesterday it will give the water district the money, ranking Marin's project first among dozens seeking cash. The public can comment on the recommendation at a hearing in Sacramento April 12. Final approval would come later this year. "This money would go to a full-scale desalination project," said Paul Helliker, water district general manager. The state Department of Water Resources is allocating funds for desalination projects from Proposition 50 money, approved by state voters in 2002. The department received 42 applications requesting $71.3 million. "That we ranked No. 1 speaks to the soundness of the approach we have taken," said Jared Huffman, water board president. "It also shows we have approached this project with a lot of environmental sensitivity. It's a good sign that the state likes our project." If the project is never built, the water district would have to give the money back to the state. The need for water in Marin is greater than the supply, although the deficit is only on paper at this point, district officials say. But if a drought hits and Mount Tamalpais reservoirs run dry, the district would have to impose rationing and could find itself scrambling for water. Plans for a pipeline to the Russian River have been put on hold. Last month the water district received the regulatory green light to operate a pilot test plant to turn saltwater into drinking water. The district is now building the $1.2 million test plant at the Marin Rod and Gun Club site near the west end of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to determine if desalting bay water and pumping it to Marin homes is feasible. A public opening is planned for May 31, with people getting an opportunity to sample water in June. The pilot plant will clean water through a reverse osmosis process and microfilters. If the trial plant proves successful, a full-scale plant could be built on district-owned land at Pelican Way in San Rafael, with water from San Rafael Bay being pulled in at the end of a rebuilt Marin Rod and Gun Club. The bay water would be piped west along existing roads to the plant. The salt pulled from the water would be piped to the Central Marin Sanitation Agency's wastewater treatment plant and sent back into the bay. Blending of brine with treated wastewater from the Central Marin Sanitation Agency could reduce the concentration of salt going back into the bay. Sludge captured by filters in the process would be brought by truck to the Redwood Landfill north of Novato. The plant could be built in increments - with each segment able to produce 5 million gallons of water a day - and could ultimately deliver 15 million gallons of water daily. Huffman believes more state grants could follow. "We have more grant applications in the pipeline," he said. Contact Mark Prado via e-mail at mprado@marinij.com |