Attacks on El Segundo desalination plant not fact based [Opinion]
The location of West Basin Municipal Water District’s proposed ocean water desalination plant. In the distance is the existing El Segundo NRG power plant. Photo
by Russ Lesser
There has been a lot of misinformation going around about the proposed desalination plant that will be located north of the north border of Manhattan Beach (El Porto area). Some time ago, both the Manhattan Beach and the Hermosa Beach city councils unanimously opposed building the plant. One former Manhattan Beach councilman said, “If you build that plant it will ruin the entire South Bay.” As a resident of Manhattan Beach for well over 70 years, and having been involved for years trying to protect the ocean, I was concerned about the accuracy of his comments.
I had read about many places in the world that rely on desalinated water so I called up Greg Hodgson, a scientist I know who headed up a non-profit named Reef Check, which has been very successful at restoring and maintaining coral reefs and other reefs around the world. I have served on the board for years. He has spent his entire adult life working to protect the environment and the oceans. I asked him, “What is the problem with desalination?”
Hodgson said, “We live in a desert. Droughts will probably get worse in the future. Desalination of ocean water is the only long term solution to the water problem in Southern California, and with the modern technology the ocean will not be negatively affected.”
So I started learning about desalination. I visited the recycling plant on Sepulveda Boulevard in El Segundo, and the desalination plant in Carlsbad and did a lot of research on the subject.
Like many public issues, this one is complex. And, like most public issues, one solution isn’t enough. We need a portfolio of solutions, including conservation, expanded recycling, conservation, improvements in delivery and storage infrastructure, and desalination.
Two weeks ago, Easy Reader published a letter to the editor by former Manhattan Beach city councilman Wayne Powell, opposing the proposed El Segundo desalination plant. Unfortunately, the letter was full of false and misleading facts. He says, “Santa Barbara permanently mothballed their desalination plant.” False: It is up and running. Google “Santa Barbara desalination plant” to verify that. He says, The Carlsbad plant generated an excess of unusable water.” False: Google “Carlsbad desalination plant” to verify that his statement is false. He says the plant will be located “next to the Manhattan Beach border at 45th street. False: The recommended site has the southern end of the plant located about 1,500 feet north of the Manhattan Beach border. He mentions a “visually undesirable facility.” Google “pictures of Carlsbad desalination plant.” Then go stand on 45th Street in Manhattan and look north at what is there now. This would be a huge visual improvement. He mentions an “ocean toxic discharge.” The fact is that the water released back into the ocean is diffused over a long pipe using the most modern technology available and will have no toxic effect on the ocean. If you view the outlet pipe from the desalination plant in Perth, Australia you will see it is surrounded by vibrant sea life. To verify this Google “Perth desalination plant videos” and click on “Sea water intake video.”
The facts are simple: We live in a desert. Droughts will often happen and may become more frequent in the future. Prior to 1947 all of our water was provided by groundwater. In 1990 due to the population explosion, 80 percent of our water was imported. Due to major successful efforts by our water district (recycling, conservation, etc.) that imported water number is down to 55 percent, even with the population increase. The advances they have made with recycling are amazing and they continue to make advances in that area. To learn what they are doing with recycling, visit the recycling plant located on Sepulveda between Rosecrans and El Segundo Blvd. You will be impressed.
But you can’t presently drink recycled water and you can’t recycle what you don’t have in the first place. If (or when) we have a major earthquake our main supply of water from the north may be cut off. The only, always reliable source of water for us is the ocean. I recently visited Dubai, Oman, Jordan and Israel and met with people knowledgeable about desalination. The vast majority of their water comes from desalination plants and the effects on the ocean are miniscule, at most. Some large cities, due to lack of forward thinking, are having huge water problems. For example Google “Current Cape Town South Africa water crisis.” This is a city of four million people that may shortly totally run out of water.
The modern technology that will be used in this plant insures there will be minimal to no negative environmental effects, and desalination is the right way to go to help insure a reliable water supply in the future. The recently released Environmental Impact Report verifies that. Many countries and cities already know this and are moving ahead with desalination. We should too.
I would ask all the city council members of Hermosa and Manhattan to do the following:
- Tour the recycling plant on Sepulveda
- Tour the desalination plant in Carlsbad
- Learn all the facts about the current technology used in desalination plants
- Google what I reference in this letter
- Do not just listen to naysayers or who yells the loudest. (I learned this during the eight years I was on the Manhattan Beach City Council)
Then decide whether to support or oppose the proposed plant in El Segundo.
This is not asking too much of our elected officials on an issue this important to the future of our area.