Monterey agency breathes second life into wastewater on Central Coast

The Central Coast is digging for a sustainable solution for its water shortage problem. Experts said a growing population is putting pressure on finite resources.

“By 2050, we are expecting that we will have 50 million people in California, and there’s 39.5 million now. We barely have enough water for existing agriculture and people,” said John Laird, California secretary of natural resources.

Since the Central Coast can’t import water or benefit from the Sierra snowpack, the people and businesses of Monterey County mostly rely on the Carmel River and the Seaside Groundwater Basin.

But in 2009, the state ordered local agencies to cut back on river pumping. Pure Water Monterey is a part of the solution.

The advanced purification project broke ground in Marina Friday. Once constructed, the plant will take once treated wastewater through a four-step filtration process before it goes to homes, businesses and agricultural fields.

“We are looking to produce about 3,500-hundred-acre feet per year out of this plant,” said Paul Sciuto with Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency. “In theory, CalAm would be able to reduce the amount they take from the Carmel River by the same amount.”

The facility is expected to open summer of 2019.