An amended and restated memorandum of agreement relating to the proposed Coquina Coast Seawater Desalination Project in Florida, USA, was agreed by Palm Coast city council, the project leader, on 15 June 2010.
The memorandum splits Stage 2 of the project into two parts in an effort to slow the project in line with reduction in city growth as a result of the current economic downturn.
As well as Palm Coast, the agreement involves the St John’s River Water Management District and the city of Leesburg, with DeLand and St Johns County as “ex-officio” (non-contributary) members. Palm Coast has a water consumption of 7 MGD (26,500 m³/d) peaking in summer at around 12 MGD (45,000 m³/d).
Under the new agreement, Phase 2a will last for 18-20 months and concentrate on details, such as permitting, which are not size-dependent. Phase 2b will then start to look at size- dependent details, by which time it is hoped that the economic situation will be clearer, and former project partners might wish to rejoin the project.