Seawater Desalination...Seawater Desalination: An Ocean of Opportunity “If we could produce fresh...

This document is intended as an overview of the issues addressed in the Draft Recirculated Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by the City of Huntington Beach released in April 2005.

This overview document addresses the following issues:

• Why this water treatment facility is needed

• The ways this facility will benefit both Huntington Beach and Orange County

• The quality of the desalinated drinking water

• The ability of the water treatment facility to operate with or without the generating station

• Ensuring the protection of the coastal environment

• Analyzing the growth potential related to the water treatment facility

• The remediation and beautification of the area through tank removals and extensive new landscaping

• The conceptual water delivery pipeline alignments

Seawater Desalination:An Ocean of Opportunity

“If we could produce fresh water from salt water at a low cost, that would indeed be a service to humanity, and would dwarf any other scientific accomplishment.”

John F. Kennedy1961

i

Project Overview

“Making sure we have the parks, the police department, the fi re department and all the other assets that make a great city, is vital. And two million dollars a year in tax revenue helps us secure that future for Huntington Beach.”

Charlie BuntonHuntington Beach Chamber of Commerce

Seawater Desalination:A limitless supply of safe andreliable drinking water

• Desalination is a state of the art water purifi cation process that removes salt and other impurities out of ocean water.

• Desalinated seawater is as pure as any bottled water on the shelves of your grocery store.

• Cruise ships, navy vessels and countries throughout the world use seawater desalination safely and successfully every day.

• Seawater desalination would provide Orange County drought-proof water “insurance.”

Benefi ts for Huntington Beach

• Poseidon Resources will constantly and carefully protect and monitor the Huntington Beach ocean water, as it is the source for its drinking water.

• Because Poseidon Resources is a private company, Huntington Beach will receive approximately $1.8 million annually in property tax revenue from the desalination facility with little demand on city services.

• Huntington Beach will have an opportunity to receive this new, high-quality water supply.

• It will create 18 full-time jobs, 2,000 construction jobs and 322 indirect jobs, bringing prosperity and tax revenue to the city.

• Poseidon Resources will install new landscaping and pay for street improvements for both Newland Ave. and Edison Way.

• Three old, rusty 40-foot oil tanks will be replaced with low-profi le architecturally pleasing water treatment facilities.

• Poseidon has offered to build the city a needed 10-million gallon water storage tank valued at approximately $14 million.

• Only through a private company will the city maintain oversight and receive tax revenue. Additional benefi ts are under consideration by the city.

Local Control - Public Oversight - No Cost to Taxpayers

• Poseidon Resources will enter into a long-term partnership with the community through a guaranteed contract that specifi es all tax revenue will continue even if there is a change in ownership.

• The project will have extensive and ongoing public agency oversight. Poseidon Resources must obtain permits, approvals, or lease

In case of an emergency,

Huntington Beach will

automatically have

access to the desalinated

seawater.

A Guaranteed Water Source for Huntington Beach

iiThis seawater desalination facility will bring the City of Huntington Beach a guaranteed fresh drinking water source in case of emergency, jobs, and about $1.8 million annually in property tax revenue.

BOTTOM LINE

Today 20% of California

residents are served water

managed by private water

companies with public

oversight.

Project Overview

facility, which will go into the city’s general fund, which may enhance police and fire protection or improve the city’s parks and libraries.

• Huntington Beach will receive additional funds from annual franchise payments for using City streets for pipeline installation and operation.

• The Metropolitan Water District (MWD), which provides imported water for Southern California, is supporting local seawater desalination projects like the one in Huntington Beach by providing a $250 per acre-foot subsidy to local water agencies.

• As the cost of imported water is rising, the cost of desalinated water is decreasing. Within a few years after the water treatment facility has been operating, the cost of desalination is expected to be equal to or less than the cost of imported water.

agreements from every one of the following public agencies before the water treatment facility can be built.

° City of Huntington Beach° California Coastal Commission° State Department of Health Services° Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control

Board° South Coast Air Quality Management

District ° U.S. Army Corps of Engineers° Caltrans° County of Orange° City of Costa Mesa° Mesa Consolidated Water District° Municipal Water District of Orange County° Metropolitan Water District of Southern

California° California State Lands Commission° Local water agencies° Orange County Sanitation District

• Poseidon Resources will pay for all costs related to construction and operation of the facility. No public funds are needed. There is no risk to the taxpayers.

• Because the ocean provides a consistent and stable water supply, water customers will have more price certainty because water rates won’t fluctuate based on rainfall or imported water availability.

• Huntington Beach will receive tax revenue estimated to be $1.8 million annually from a private water treatment

“Tree ring records and other data suggest the West may be in for longer, drier periods in the coming decades, some experts say.”

Copley News ServiceAugust 16, 2004

iiiPoseidon Resources will use only private funds to finance, build and operate the water treatment facility and fund other city improvements at no cost to the taxpayers.

BOTTOM LINE

Table of Contents

Orange County Water Supply ...............................................................................................1

Project Description ...............................................................................................................2

Complying with City Regulations .........................................................................................4

Protecting Our Coastal Environment .....................................................................................5

Beautifi cation of Site Location ..............................................................................................8

Relationship with Generating Station ...................................................................................9

Providing Water for the Next Generation ............................................................................10

Safe and Clean Drinking Water ...........................................................................................11

Pipeline Routes and Underground Pump Stations .............................................................12

Running a Quiet and Clean Water Treatment Facility ..........................................................13

Energy Consumption ..........................................................................................................14

Temporary Impacts During Construction ..........................................................................15

One Piece of the Puzzle ......................................................................................................16

Alternatives to the Water Treatment Facility .......................................................................17

Glossary of Terms ..............................................................................................................19

“Desalination must become part of our water solution.”

Michael ChrismanCalifornia Secretary of ResourcesMarch 4, 2005

Huntington Beach Water Treatment Facility 419 Main Street, Suite A, Huntington Beach, CA 92648-9942 • Tel.714.754.1234 • www.hbfreshwater.com iv

Orange County Water Supply

“Desalinated water gradually will become cheaper, and at the same time, reduced allocations of Colorado River water and higher energy rates will drive up imported water costs. Prices are expected to intersect in about a decade.”

Kevin P. HuntGeneral Manager Municipal Water District of Orange County

Orange County RegisterApril 4, 2005

“To provide a drought-proof, high quality, new potable water supply to residents and businesses in Huntington Beach and throughout Orange County.”

Project Objective

Project Need and ObjectivesSection 3.4

The project meets Orange County’s water needs in four different ways:

A. The project would provide Orange County with increased water supply reliability during times of drought shortages in other water supplies.

B. The project would replace imported water supplies lost by Orange County to statewide and environmental needs.

C. The project would provide a new water supply source to accommodate Orange County’s increasing water needs as shown in the water plans adopted by state, regional and local water agencies.

D. The project would provide a new source of supply, thus allowing operational flexibility in managing the amount of groundwater pumped from underground aquifers. This would assist in protecting the groundwater basin from seawater intrusion and/or replace groundwater supplies vulnerable to overuse.

• The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) through its Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) and the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), which are the public water agencies responsible for providing Southern California and Orange County respectively with imported water, are planning for seawater desalination to meet the long-term water supply needs of the area.

• Approximately 50% of Orange County’s water supply is provided by the county’s groundwater basin, which is managed by the Orange County Water District (OCWD). The other half of our local water supply is imported from the Colorado River and the State Water Project and is managed locally by MWDOC.

• According to OCWD, which is responsible for the county’s groundwater basin, Orange County’s aquifer is overdrafted by more than 100 billion gallons.

• The federal government is limiting the amount of Colorado River water California is permitted to import.

• According to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the 1976-77 drought cost the state $2.5 billion in reduced gross revenue ($6.5 billion at today’s cost).

A

C

D

B

MWD’s Expectation from Orange CountyOrange County’s Part in the IRP *

1,000,000

900,000

800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000

300,000

200,000

400,000

100,000

2005 2025

Met Projected Conservation in OC

Met IRP Expected Local Supply in Orange County

* Integrated Resources Plan (IRP)

0

Conservation is expected to save 84,000 acre-feet in 2005 and 148,000 acre-feet in 2025

Local Supply is expected to grow from 350,000 acre-feet in 2005 to 512,000 acre-feet in 2025

Orange County must diversify its water supply. Public water agencies agree that desalination is an important piece of the region’s water portfolio.1

BOTTOM LINE

Groundwater

Diversified Water Supply Portfolio

Desalination

Conservation

ImportedWater

Recycled Water

Project Description

Purpose of EIRSection 2.1

The Draft Recirculated Environmental Impact Report, written by a nationally-respected, independent environmental research fi rm under the guidance of the City of Huntington Beach, describes the purpose and need for the project, the potential environmental impacts of the project and suggests feasible mitigation measures.

On December 15, 2003, the Huntington Beach City Council voted to deny certifi cation of the original EIR citing a lack of suffi cient information regarding marine biology, growth inducement, entrainment and impingement, and product water compatibility.

In the Recirculated EIR, a substantial amount of information has been added to address those concerns. After additional research, scientists have concluded that the project does not have any long-term impacts.

The Recirculated EIR meets the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Project DescriptionSection 3.0

The proposed Seawater Desalination Project at Huntington Beach would produce 50 million gallons of drinking water per day. After up to 500 million gallons of screened seawater passes through the Huntington Beach Generating Station to cool its condensers, a fraction of that water (approximately 100 million gallons) would be diverted to the water treatment facility. Using a reverse osmosis desalination process, 50 million gallons would become high-quality drinking water for the residents and businesses of Orange County and 50 million gallons would become concentrated seawater, which would be mixed with up to 400 million gallons of seawater before fl owing back into the ocean.

Artist Rendering of Administration BuildingInside a reverse osmosis water treatment facility

“Besides its water expertise, Poseidon takes on much of the risk of building desalination plants – a great benefi t to municipalities facing severe budget shortfalls.”

Business WeekMay 1, 2003

2

Existing infrastructure available

Proper Zoning

Proximity to ocean source water

Insignificant Environmentalimpacts

Proximity and access to regionalwater distribution pipeline

Why Huntington Beach?

Project Description

1 Huntington Beach Generating Station2 Pacific Holdings Storage Tank Facility3 Ascon/Nesi Landfill4 Edison High School5 Edison Community Center/ Cannery Street Landfill (closed)6 Mobile Home Parks7 Open Space/Wetlands8 Project Site9 Distillate Fuel Storage Tank10 South Fuel Oil Storage Tank11 East Fuel Oil Storage Tank12 West Fuel Oil Storage Tank13 North Fuel Oil Storage Tank

Sources: Site Vicinity Map, Exhibit 3-2, Draft Recirculated EIR for the Seawater Desalination Project at Huntington Beach.

Project Location Section 3.1

The water treatment facility will be approximately 11 acres in size and located on the site of unused oil storage tanks next to the Huntington Beach Generating Station to the southwest, the Huntington Beach Channel to the east, a fuel oil storage tank to the north, a wetland area to the southeast and an electrical switchyard to the west.

Project Schedule Section 3.5

Planning and EIR analysis3 yr. (2002-2005)

Obtaining permits and entitlements1 yr. (2006)

Project construction2 yrs.(2007-08)

Operational and on line in 2008

“Desalination is a concept and a technology on which California must begin to rely.”

Richard PolancoAssemblymanD - Los Angeles

3

Complying with City Regulations

Land UseThis proposed water treatment facility is consistent with city zoning regulations for the site:

• The proposed seawater desalination project is a permitted use.

• Zoning for this use was reaffi rmed in the 1996 General Plan Amendment and in the January 2003 Coastal Commission approval of the zoning designation.

• The proposed project site would be situated in an area where there are unused oil storage tanks.

Existing Site ConditionsSection 4.0 and Appendix Q

“The future is local and regional projects involving water effi ciency, water re-use and ocean desalting (emphasis added).”

Ron WildermuthSpokespersonOrange County Water DistrictOrange County RegisterApril 17, 2003

Huntington Beach Generating Station Future Operations

• HBGS Units 3 and 4, which had been shut down by Southern California Edison in 1995 have been refurbished and were placed in operation in July of 2002 and August of 2003, respectively.

• In 2001 these units received a certifi cate from the California Energy Commission (CEC) that allows them to operate for an initial period of ten years with conditions.

• Two of the four units at the HBGS have received “Reliability Must Run (RMR)” contracts for each of the last four years.

• There is a power contract between the State of California and Williams Energy Marketing and Trading that relies on HBGS and extends through 2018 as well as a separate contract with Southern California Edison (SCE).

No zoning or land-use

variances or waivers have

been requested or are

needed.

City zoning permits a water treatment facility on this site. A private company is required to comply with city zoning requirements and contribute to the city’s tax base. 4

BOTTOM LINE

SALINITY DISCHARGE

• The outfall occurs a quarter-mile off shore where the saline discharge and the ocean water discharge are mixed in the open ocean. Even under worse-case conditions, the salinity level would vary less than 10% from the ambient seawater a short distance from the end of the pipe.

• Most marine organisms living near Huntington Beach can also be found elsewhere in the Southern California Bight where salinities are naturally greater than what would occur in the area surrounding the desalination discharge pipe.

• There are no endangered species or kelp beds in the Huntington Beach waters.

• The ocean floor is sandy. There is no rocky substrate for organisms to form fixed habitats. Floating and moving organisms move through the higher salinity level within 10 minutes. Dr. Jeffery Graham, Ph.D. of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has determined that no floating or moving organisms will be affected due to the elevated salinity level.

Ocean Water Quality and Marine Biological ResourcesSection 5.10 and Appendix C

Protecting Our Coastal Environment

• Dr. Scott Jenkins, Ph.D. of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has determined that the environmental effects of the salinity discharge are insignificant due to the mixing from the open ocean wave action.

• Dr. Jenkins’s and Dr. Graham’s analyses and conclusions have been peer reviewed by Dr. Stanley Grant, Professor of Environmental Engineering at UC Irvine and MBC Applied Environmental Services, the city’s marine biological science consultant.

• Any chemicals used to clean the desalination membrane screens will be discharged to the Orange County Sanitation District, not to the HBGS outfall pipe.

• The Regional Water Quality Control Board will have additional monitoring and regulatory oversight.

Information in this section of the EIR was compiled by the following scientists and scientific organizations:

Dr. Jeffrey B. Graham, Ph.D.,Scripps Institution of OceanographyDr. Scott A. Jenkins, Ph.D.,Scripps Institution of OceanographyTenera EnvironmentalMBC Applied Environmental SciencesState Water Resources Control Board

The models used in this EIR are the scientific standards that are accepted by state and federal agencies.

LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Goby is one of several common, non-endangered marine species that live in the water off Huntington Beach.

Poseidon Resources will pre-treat the ocean water with iron and sulfate to settle out the solids in the seawater.

Iron and sulfates are chemical compositions that are found naturally in abundance in ocean water.

Environmentally Safe Pre-treatment

Putting saltwater back into the ocean does not harm the coastal environment. Poseidon will carefully monitor and protect the ocean water since it is their source for drinking water.

5

BOTTOM LINE

BEACH HEALTH

• All cleaning chemicals used for the water treatment facility are sent to the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD).

• The water habitat near the HBGS discharge site is not home to any endangered marine species.

• No bacteria are created or transferred by the water treatment facility. Additional pretreatment steps will be taken as added insurance.

• All studies point to urban runoff from the Santa Ana River and animal waste from

Ocean Water Quality and Marine Biological ResourcesSection 5.10, 4.5 and Appendix E


“Desalination will create a drought-proof supply of water”

Bob YamadaSeawater Desalination Program ManagerSan Diego County Water Authority

The generating station

is not a signifi cant

contributor of bacteria to

the surf zone or the beach.

This was the conclusion

of a study prepared by

the California Energy

Commission (2003 KOMEX

Study).



the adjacent wetlands as the likely sources of beach contamination. The Regional Water Quality Control Board continues its efforts to isolate and minimize the effects of these sources of contamination.

• The seawater is drawn and discharged by HBGS outside the surfzone through underwater pipes.

• Poseidon Resources will continually monitor and protect the water quality because this is their source water.

Three separate extensive scientifi c studies conducted between 2001 and 2002 demonstrated that HBGS is not the source of bacteria in the surf zone. 6

BOTTOM LINE

• Gobies

• Blennies

• Croakers

• Northern Anchovy

• Garibaldi

• Silversides

• Sand Dollars

All of these creatures are

found in abundance and

none are endangered

Typical species found in the water off of Huntington Beach: IMPINGEMENT / ENTRAINMENT

• The project does not take seawater directly from the ocean. The water treatment facility uses only the water already used by the generating station. That is, the seawater used for desalination will already have served its purpose of cooling the generating station and will be on its way back out to the ocean via the outfall pipe.

Ocean Water Quality and Marine Biological ResourcesSection 5.10 and Appendices T and S


• The generating station has a legal and regulatory responsibility for impingement and entrainment.

• The primary use for the screened feedwater and outfall pipes is to deliver seawater to cool the generating station.

• The water treatment facility will not increase or decrease the volume or velocity of the seawater that is already being used to cool the generating station.

• Less than two-hundredths of one-percent (0.02%) of fish larvae and plankton may suffer entrainment mortality as a result of the desalination project operations, under the most conservative assumptions. This is an insignificant amount.

“It is important to note that in the case of co-locating a desalination plant with an existing power plant, there will be no additional entrainment and impingement impacts.”

California Water Desalination Task Force“Feedwater Impact Issue Paper Revised Draft”September 12, 2003



The water treatment facility will use only water that is already destined for discharge after being used by HBGS and the water treatment facility will have no effect on the amount of water the generating station uses. Because the primary use for the seawater is to cool the generating station, the generating station operator has the responsibility to secure the proper permits, which it has done.

7

BOTTOM LINE

Beautifi cation of Site Location

Environmental Setting and AestheticsSection 3.2 and 5.7

• Poseidon Resources will fund the demolition and site remediation of three of the 40-foot oil tanks and replace them with lower-profi le, architecturally-pleasing water treatment facilities, which will not exceed two stories in height.

“We have to have another water source. We need to step up to the plate now to ensure that these issues are solved for our children down the road.”

Suzanne BeaukemaHuntington Beachbusiness owner

BEFORE

AFTER

• Poseidon Resources will install landscaping to provide a visual improvement over what exists today.

Poseidon Resources will

fund street improvements

on Newland Avenue and

Edison Way.

LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT WITH MITIGATION


Poseidon Resources will pay for city-approved aesthetics of the area to make it more visually appealing. 8

BOTTOM LINE

Public Service and Utilities Section 5.6 and Appendix Q

The generating station is permitted to screen and take in seawater to cool its condensers before returning that seawater to the ocean. The water treatment facility would take a portion of that used seawater before it is discharged to the ocean and turn it into drinking water. The salt that is screened out will be mixed with the remaining seawater and discharged to the ocean.

• The water treatment facility will not extend the life of the generating station.

• The water treatment facility does not need the generating station to desalinate seawater. If the generating station ceases operations, Poseidon Resources will have the option to purchase the seawater intake facilities and to apply for the permits necessary to operate them.

• The water treatment facility and generating station have a tenant-landlord relationship, but in this case they share the use of a “common driveway” (the outfall pipe).

Relationship with Generating Station

• In its certification of units 3 & 4 in May 2001, the California Energy Commission said it was aware of the proposed water treatment facility, but has stated that “no land-use decisions would have an effect upon the land-use decisions relevant to the power plant.”

• City zoning laws permit a water treatment facility on the site and the water treatment facility will not request re-zoning, a variance or a waiver.

• The California Coastal Commission recommends that desalination facilities use existing infrastructure like that which exists in Huntington Beach.

• The water treatment facility, which is independent from HBGS, will obtain its own permits and will not rely on permits secured by the generating station.

• Appendix Q of the EIR shows that the state has an existing power supply contract with HBGS through 2018 and that there is a long-term need for the Huntington Beach Generating Station.

• The Integrated Energy Policy Report issued by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in 2004 found that older power plants are critical to meeting state needs, particularly in Southern California.

Power plant operators said they intended to stick around whether desalination happens or not. “If AES is not running a power plant here, someone else will be,” said Eric Pendergraft, plant manager for AES in Huntington Beach.

Los Angeles TimesFebruary 12, 2005

• Built in the late 1950’s

• HBGS is an integral part of the regional power system. Two of the four units at HBGS have received “Reliability Must Run” contracts since 2001.

• Under long-term contracts to provide power through 2018

Huntington Beach Generating Station



The generating station today

Conceptual Rendering of Water Treatment Facility

The water treatment facility is independent and will not extend the life of the generating station. The Coastal Commission recommends the co-location of desalination facilities with generating stations, as is being proposed at this site. City zoning laws permit this proposed water treatment facility and the applicant will obtain separate permits independent from HBGS and is not requesting any variances or waivers.

9

BOTTOM LINE

Growth Inducing Impacts Section 6.2 and Appendix P

• Orange County’s population will continue to grow whether we use desalinated water or not.

• According to the Center for Demographic Research (CDR) at Cal State Fullerton, Orange County is expected to grow by 26% between 2000 and 2030.

• Growth is managed by your city and county through a General Plan.

• Even as growth continues, Orange County’s supply of imported water from Northern California and the Colorado River is declining.

• According to a 2004 Orange County housing study conducted by LSA Associates, Inc., 76% of all proposed new residential development projects in Orange County of more than 500 homes including Rancho Mission Viejo have already identifi ed their water supply sources. None of the proposed housing developments in Orange County are contingent upon this proposed water treatment facility (Appendix P).

• MWD has a twenty-year plan that relies on desalination, other local recycling projects and conservation to meet future demand.

Providing Water for the Next Generation

• The water treatment facility will provide a safe, reliable, new source of water to accommodate Orange County’s growing population.

• The drinking water provided by this water treatment facility will only serve Orange County residents.

• Huntington Beach will have the opportunity to purchase water from the facility. Other Orange County water agencies such as members of MWDOC may purchase the water as well.

• The 50 million gallons per day of drinking water provided by this proposed project will not go directly to end users, but will be delivered to public water agencies.

“Growth isn’t driven by water supply. If it were, Humboldt County (in rainy northwest California) would be the state’s fastest-growing area.”

Joseph GrindstaffChief Deputy Director, California Department of Water ResourcesSan Bernardino Sun 11/28/04



Components of Population Growth, 2000-2030

300,000

250,000

Migration

Source: Center for Demographic Research,California State University, Fullerton,Orange County Projections 2004

Natural Increase

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

-50,000

-100,000

2000

-05

2025

-30

2020

-25

2015

-20

2010

-15

2005

-10

The drinking water from the water treatment facility will not create growth in Orange County; it will accommodate the growth that planners say is inevitable. MWD has a 20-year water supply plan that includes desalination as an essential component. The water from this facility will serve Orange County residents. 10

BOTTOM LINE

Product Water Quality Section 5.11, 3.0 and Appendix O

• The water treatment facility uses the same reverse osmosis process that is used to purify bottled water.

• The reverse osmosis process removes not only salt, but every impurity and takes only water molecules out of the seawater.

• Minerals are added to the pure water to give it taste – similar to that of bottled water.

• The state of the art reverse osmosis process has been approved by the California Department of Health Services.

Safe and Clean Drinking Water

“Clearly, desalination is a technology whose time has arrived – not only to combat the effects of drought, but to provide cleaner, safer drinking water everywhere.”

Business WeekMay 1, 2003

• The project must receive approval from:

° California Department of Health Services

° Metropolitan Water District ° Municipal Water District of Orange

County ° City Water Departments

• Poseidon Resources will ensure protection of the distribution system against any potential variances in water pressure or corrosion (see section 3.0 and Appendix O of the EIR).

• Poseidon Resources is working with Orange County water agencies and MWD on the operational issues of introducing a new water source. Some of these studies are included in Appendices D, N and O. These studies address corrosion, water quality and system operations. Additional studies on potential customer concerns, such as taste, will be addressed over the next year.

The water quality of desalinated seawater is equivalent to that of bottled water. 11

BOTTOM LINE

“Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey say it could be the worst drought in 500 years. Reservoirs have drained, rivers have dropped, and the mountain snowpack – the source of three-fourths of the West’s water – has been meager.”

San Diego Union-Tribune January 13, 2005

Sources: Carollo Engineers, August 2002. Conceptual Pipeline Alignments, Exhibit

3-3, Draft Recirculated EIR for the Seawater Desalination Project at Huntington Beach.

Pipeline Route and Underground Pump Stations

• The pure desalinated drinking water will be delivered through a water transmission pipeline into the existing regional water distribution system that is operated and maintained by our public water agencies.

• The conceptual primary pipeline route and the alternative alignment are planned for existing public streets or other rights-of-way and are not anticipated to require disturbance of any sensitive natural habitat or native vegetation.

• The pipes will be no more than 48 inches in diameter and will range in length from 30,000 to 40,000 linear feet.

Pipeline Route and Underground Booster Pump StationsSection 4.2 and 4.3

• Two underground pump stations are needed as part of the distribution system.

° The “OC-44” pump station is proposed to be located within an unincorporated area of the County along the eastern border of the City of Newport Beach. The site is located adjacent to, but outside of, a Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) area.

° The “Coastal Junction” pump station is proposed to be located within the parking lot at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church at 4949 Alton Parkway in Irvine.

12

Sources: Melville C. Branch and R. Dale Beland, Outdoor Noise in the Metropolitan Environment, 1970.

Environmental Protection Agency, Information on Levels of Environmental Noise Requisite to Protect Public Health and Welfare with an Adequate Margin of Safety (EPA/ONAC 550/9-74-004), March 1974.

Sound Levels and Human Response, Exhibit 5.5-1, Draft Recirculated EIR for the Seawater Desalination Project at Huntington Beach.

Running a Quiet and Clean Water Treatment Facility

“We’ve lost half of our allocation of the Colorado River, one of our primary sources of imported water... Now, more than ever, it’s imperative that the entire Southern California region work together as a team to develop new sources of water: desalination, reclamation and water transfers.”

Wes BannisterChairmanMetropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaJanuary 12, 2005

• The water treatment facility generates no gaseous emissions and will do nothing to harm the air quality.

• The water treatment facility and all its pumps will be located either inside a soundproof building or underground and will meet all city noise restrictions.

Air Quality, Noise, Light, Odor and AestheticsSections 5.4, 5.5 and 5.7

• Because of the location of the water treatment facility, the minimal light needed for the security of the facility and the safety of its employees will not impact any of the residents in the surrounding community or the adjacent wetlands.

• The water treatment facility will emit no odor.

• The aesthetics of the property will be enhanced through:

° landscape improvements

° demolishing three

dilapidated oil tanks and replacing them with lower profile water tanks.



The water treatment facility contributes no significant noise, air quality or light impacts to the environment.13

BOTTOM LINE

Public Services and UtilitiesSection 5.6 and Appendix Q

• The water treatment facility’s electrical power source would be controlled by a power marketing company in consultation with the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO).

Energy Consumption

• The water treatment facility will require approximately 30-35 megawatts per hour to produce and distribute its drinking water.

• The water treatment facility does not need the generating station to operate.

“Ten years ago, desalination was the crazy aunt in the attic. That’s changed, and as a water supply strategy, it is now entering the mainstream and being taken seriously.” Barry NelsonNRDC



The water treatment

facility will increase the

energy demand in Orange

County by less than 1%.

Putting Power in Perspective

The water treatment facility is not reliant on HBGS for its energy and will increase the energy demand in Orange County by less than 1%. 14

BOTTOM LINE

During the construction

of the water treatment

facility, there may be

temporary, short-term

emissions of Nitrous

Oxide and dust from the

construction equipment.

NO OTHER UNAVOIDABLE

SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS

HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED

FOR THIS PROJECT

One unavoidable short-term significant impact (air quality)

Construction Related Impacts Section 5.9

Hydrology and Water QualityConstruction of the proposed project may result in minor and temporary erosive conditions including a small amount of sediment storm runoff. The construction team will minimize these impacts through mitigation including “Best Management Practices” as determined by city and state agencies.

Air QualityThe temporary construction process would have short-term air quality impacts. The construction area will be watered and transport vehicles will be covered to minimize the amount of dust in the air.

NoiseAll construction will comply with the City’s municipal noise control code. Construction won’t take place on weekends or federal holidays and it will be limited to the hours specified by the City Noise Ordinance.

Temporary Impacts During Construction

Hazards and Hazardous MaterialsAny hazards or hazardous materials encountered during demolition will be removed and disposed of properly in compliance with OSHA’s Safety and Health Standards, city code, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

TrafficA Traffic Management Plan will be prepared and implemented. Construction will be limited to one side of the road at a time, when possible. Commercial and residential access will be open during construction. A truck routing plan will be submitted to the city and county for approval. There will be frequent consultation and communication with the affected neighborhoods.

Cultural ResourcesShould buried historical or archeological resources be discovered during excavation, all construction work in that area shall be halted until a qualified archeologist can evaluate the nature and significance of the finds.

ONE UNAVOIDABLE SHORT-TERM SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (AIR QUALITY)


The construction of the water treatment facility is expected to begin in 2006 and will take approximately two years to complete. During construction, the contractor will conform to all city codes as well as state and federal environmental laws.

15

BOTTOM LINE

Cumulative ImpactsSection 6.3 and Appendix C

• The proposed water treatment facility in Huntington Beach is one of 11 desalination facilities being planned in Southern California. Should all 11 be built, they will provide 240 million gallons of fresh water per day to Southern California.

• It would take 2,163 desalination facilities the size of the proposed facility in Huntington Beach to match salinity CEQA and the Coastal

Act defi ne “cumulative

effects” as the

incremental effects fo

an individual project in

conjunction with the

effects of past projects,

the effects of other

current projects, and the

effects of probable future

projects.

“The key to survival is to diversify your portfolio. We’re looking for a buffer, an insurance policy to account for supply uncertainty.” Kathy ColeMetropolitan Water District

increase created by the natural evaporation loss in the Southern California Bight (Appendix C).

• Given the physical distance from the proposed desalination facility in Huntington Beach to other proposed desalination facilities in Southern California, there would be no negative cumulative water quality or marine habitat impacts.

One Piece of the Puzzle



The water treatment facility would meet with the goals of the California Ocean Plan. Even if all eleven planned desalination facilities were built, they would not have overlapping effects on marine habitat or ocean water quality.

16

BOTTOM LINE

Alternative to theWater Treatment Facility

• The Increase Groundwater Usage alternative would require tapping further into Orange County’s aquifer, which is reported to be more than 100 billion gallons overdrafted today.

• The Alternative Ownership alternative would result in the exact same environmental impacts as the proposed project. Some allege that a multinational corporation may use international law to avoid environmental review, however the California Department of Water Resources has reached the opposite conclusion saying that no international treaty would prevent any U.S. governmental agency from reviewing and regulating water projects - including desalination facilities. For this project the issue is irrelevant anyway because Poseidon Resources is a U.S. corporation and is not a “multi-national” corporation.

• The Alternative Intake Design alternative studies beach wells and other seawater intake collection systems. The construction and long-term impact of building the infrastructure necessary would have an unneeded negative impact on coastal access and recreational use without meeting the primary objective of the project. The HBGS screened intake and outfall pipes already exist and will be in use no matter what intake collection system the water treatment facility uses. There are no long-term significant impacts with the current proposed design.

“I see great potential for desalination to be part of a long-term solution to help restore our rivers and fisheries”

Jared HuffmanCalifornia State Desalination Task ForceJuly 28, 2003

The proposed water treatment facility is needed and because of the existing feedwater and outfall infrastructure the Huntington Beach Generating Station is the best location in Orange County for a desalination facility.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action Section 7.0

In conformance with environmental requirements, various alternatives to the water treatment facility have been analyzed and studied. The proposed project is the best alternative to meet the project objectives while minimizing the environmental impacts.

• The No Project alternative does not meet the project objective of providing a drought-proof, high quality, new potable water supply.

• Orange County is currently conserving 84,000 acre-feet per year (approximately 20% of its supply). Programs are underway to increase our conservation levels to 140,000 acre-feet per year by 2025. The Conservation alternative would require conserving an additional 56,000 acre-feet of water, which would probably require restrictive regulations on water usage. New water sources are needed.

• The Increase Imported Water alternative would require increased water transfers from the Colorado River and Sacramento Delta. Importing an additional 56,000 acre-feet of water annually would result in significant economic and environmental degradation.

The proposed water treatment facility is needed and because of the existing feedwater and outfall infrastructure, the Huntington Beach site is an excellent location for a desalination facility.

17

BOTTOM LINE

Alternative to theWater Treatment Facility

• The Construction of Additional Local Water Supply Project alternative addresses other local projects. The drinking water that would be provided by the Huntington Beach Water Treatment facility is needed to supplement other local projects as well as conservation in order to meet the Metropolitan Water District’s Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) that requires the region to produce 52 billion gallons of additional water annually.

• The Alternative Site alternative was studied, however at other locations either the infrastructure for a desalination facility is not already in place (Dana Point and San Clemente) or the engineering and site location acquisition may be problematic (San Onofre).

• The Reduced Size Facility alternative studies the effects of a 25 mgd project instead of the proposed 50 mgd project. Analysis shows that a smaller facility would not signifi cantly reduce potential environmental impacts. Additionally, a reduced-size facility that produces half the drinking water compared to the proposed facility would not meet the project’s objectives to provide a suffi cient amount of water to meet the future water needs estimated by Orange County water purveyors.

• The Alternative Project Discharge alternative analyzes the possibility of discharging the concentrated seawater to the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD). In a response letter dated June 24, 2004, OCSD indicated that it does not have the capacity to process an additional 50 million gallons of concentrated seawater per day.

• Best suited for 10 mgd or less• 24 beach wells (1.8 miles of beach) needed • Economically and regulatorily infeasible for this

location.

BEACH WELL SYSTEM

18

Glossary of Terms

Acre footThe amount of water needed to cover one acre of land one foot deep (about 326,000 gallons). One acre-foot of water provides, on average, two families with water for one year.

AquiferAn underground layer of rock, sediment or soil that is filled or saturated with water

BasinA groundwater reservoir defined by the overlying land surface and underlying aquifers that contain water stored in the reservoir

BrackishA mixture of freshwater and salt water

BrineWater saturated with or containing a high concentration of salts, usually in excess of 36,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L)

Cubic foot of waterThe amount of water needed to fill a cube that is one foot on all sides; about 7.5 gallons

CECCalifornia Energy Commission

DesalinationThe process of removing salt and other particles from seawater or brackish water resulting in pure drinking water

DroughtA prolonged period of below average precipitation

EntrainmentThe process by which small marine species, plankton and larvae, slip through the screens on the intake pipe and are taken into the generating station with the feedwater and rarely survive the process

Environmental Impact ReportA state-mandated written summary of the positive and negative effects on the environment caused by the construction and operation of a project

Fresh waterWater containing less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of dissolved solids of any type

GroundwaterWater under ground, such as in wells, springs and aquifers

19

Glossary of Terms

HBGSThe Huntington Beach Generating Station

Intake pipeThe pipe through which water is drawn in to cool HBGS

ImpingementThe process by which marine species are held against the screen of the intake pipe

Imported waterWater brought into an area from a distant source, such as from one part of a state to another via an aqueduct

IRPIntegrated Resources Plan

Komex StudyA 2002 study commissioned by the CEC, which found that HBGS did not negatively impact the ocean water quality.

mg/L – milligrams per literMilligrams per liter of water. This measure is equivalent to parts per million

MembraneThe element of the process that separates the salt for the water. The membrane allows the smaller water molecules through while screening out the larger salt molecules.

MWD (or “Met”)Metropolitan Water District

MWDOCMunicipal Water District of Orange County

Outfall pipeThe pipe through which the used seawater is discharged back into the ocean

OverdraftingThe pumping of water from the groundwater basin in excess of the recognized annual sustainable yield of the basin.

PotableDrinkable; safe to drink

20

Glossary of Terms

ppb – parts per billionNumber of parts of a chemical found in one billion parts of a solid liquid or gaseous mixture. Equivalent to micrograms per liter

ppm – parts per millionNumber of parts of a chemical found in one million parts of a solid liquid or gaseous mixture. Equivalent to milligrams per liter

RechargeThe process of water seeping into the ground and refilling the aquifer

Reclaimed waterWater that has been used and then treated or cleansed so that it is safe to be used again

ReservoirA natural or man-made basin where water is collected and stored

SalinitySaltiness

Saltwater intrusionA process in which saltwater is drawn into the freshwater zone of an aquifer, making that source not fit for drinking

Seawater reverse osmosis (RO)The process of turning salt water into freshwater. The salt water is forced under pressure against a membrane that filters out the salt and other impurities, allowing only freshwater to flow through

Southern California BightThe coastal waters from Santa Barbara to Baja, Mexico

ug/L – micrograms per literMicrograms per liter of water. One thousand micrograms per liter is equivalent to one milligram per liter. This measure is equivalent to parts per billion (ppb)

WastewaterWater that has been used and is no longer clean

Water conservationThe protection and wise use of water

WatershedAn area of land that drains surface water runoff into a waterbody

WetlandsLand where the soil is very wet or soaked with water most of the time; marshes or swamps

21

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Huntington Beach Water Treatment Facility419 Main Street, Suite AHuntington Beach, CA 92648-9942714.754.1234

www.hbfreshwater.comThis document has been prepared by Poseidon Resources and is based on the information presented by the City of Huntington Beach, which prepared and released the Environmental Impact Report for the Seawater Desalination Project at Huntington Beach. The contents of this document do not necessarily refl ect the views or policies of the City of Huntington Beach.

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