Carlsbad water purchase agreement one step closer

Carlsbad City Council in California voted on 13 September 2011 to approve an agreement with San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) concerning water from the Carlsbad Desalination Project.

SDCWA still has to reach a water purchase agreement with Poseidon Resources for water from the 189,000 m³/d seawater reverse-osmosis plant.

Under the latest agreement, SDCWA will sell water to Carlsbad City at a price higher than that in the voided agreement between the city and Poseidon. However, the city will get tax revenues and other benefits from hosting the plant.

A Poseidon statement following the council meeting said, “We look forward to working with the SDCWA to finalize a water purchase agreement so that we can start construction on this new locally-controlled, drought-proof water supply for San Diego County.”