SDCTA Supports the Desalinated Water Purchase Agreement between CWA and Poseidon Resources
Seawater desalination is one tool that can be used to diversify the region's water supply. Alone, the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, and desalination in general, will never be enough. The region needs to continue to push forward on other local sources such as recycled water. But most importantly, the region needs to take advantage of the most cost-effective method of increasing water reliability- which is conservation. Regardless of the amount of conservation and recycling that is achieved, the region will be importing a significant amount of water which desalination could offset. Initially, a premium will be paid for the increased reliability of desalinated water as its price will exceed that of imported water. This premium is projected to shrink as the factors that impact the price for desalinated water (energy prices and general inflation) increase at slower rates than the cost of imported water.