City withdraws from Orange County desalination plant

The Californian city of San Juan Capistrano has withdrawn from the multi-agency South Orange Coast Desalination Project.

The proposed ocean desalination facility would be located at Dana Point and would produce approximately 15 MGD (57,000 m³/d). The project would potentially provide up to 25% of the area’s potable water demand.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council voted by 3-2 on 20 March 2012 not to spend US$ 23,000 next fiscal year to help cover additional costs of Phase 3 of the project, which includes pumping, testing and treating ocean water at a demonstration plant near Doheny State Beach. A full-scale plant could possibly be completed in 2016.

The Municipal Water District of Orange County, is leading the project with remaining partners South Coast Water District, Moulton Niguel Water District, Laguna Beach County Water District and the City of San Clemente.