Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/desalination/)
The Santa Ana Regional Quality Control Board is meeting this morning to hold a public hearing on Poseidon Water’s request for a permit renewal for their facility, which would be built on 12 acres of a power plant and produce 50 million gallons of water per day, according to water district staff.
The exploitation by opponents of seawater desalination of environmental justice concerns is both unfortunate and misguided. The real threat to economically disadvantaged and communities of color is climate change and its effect on the environment and our water resources. LULAC takes this threat very seriously and so does the state of California, which is why every state agency to date charged with permitting the Huntington Beach Desalination Project has done so.
I grew up in Irvine, with a deep awareness of how important the ocean is. Now, our regional water board is moving closer to issuing permits to a global corporation called Poseidon for a massive desalination plant in Huntington Beach that would worsen environmental injustice. Low-income families and communities of color—who already face the worst impacts of climate change and housing costs—would be locked into paying for more expensive drinking water.
Residents, experts and environmental advocates gathered at a Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board meeting last Friday to oppose a permit for the Poseidon Water desalination facility in Huntington Beach.
On July 18, Orange County Water Board will vote on new terms for the Poseidon desalination project. Orange County Coastkeeper’s Garry Brown and tourism/marketing leader Steve Bone argue that Poseidon is a bad deal for consumers and businesses, who would be hit especially hard by water rate increases.
Paul Cook, general manager for the Irvine Ranch Water District and Brian Lochrie, a spokesman for Poseidon, which is proposing a desal plant in Huntington Beach, both talk about the pros and cons for taxpayers and residents about desalinated water.
Academics, advocates and activists met for a panel discussion at UC Irvine to hash out the pros and cons of a proposal to build a desalination plant in Huntington Beach, with environmentalists once again warning it would damage marine environments and raise water bills.
An independent report shows seawater desalination is by far the most expensive water supply. Local residents want to understand the true cost of the proposed Huntington Beach desalination project, especially if they are being asked to pay for it, plus the pros and the cons.
The results of the William C. Velasquez Institute internet poll of 404 OC registered Latino voters during a two-week period reveal attitudes on water. Invitations to participate in the survey was sent via email.
Adriana Maestas, who lives in Fullerton, argues that framing the desalination plant as a social justice issue for Latinos is a ridiculous argument designed to only favor a private company and their investors.