TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Tony Olmos, Public Works Director
Marisa Lundstedt, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:Title
Update Regarding the West Basin Ocean Water Desalination Project (Public Works Director Olmos).
RECEIVE REPORT AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive report and provide direction.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no costs associated with this action.
BACKGROUND:
The West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) has initiated the process of preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the construction of a potential new desalination plant located in the City of El Segundo. An alternative location for a desalination plant will also be evaluated in the EIR within the City of Redondo Beach.
DISCUSSION:
West Basin proposes the Ocean Water Desalination Project (“Project” or “OWDP”) in order to produce between 20 and 60 million gallons per day (MGD) of potable drinking water. The 20 MGD capacity (the “Local Project”) is the minimum capacity needed to meet the West Basin service area’s future water demands at a local scale, consistent with West Basin’s UWMP and Water Reliability 2020 Program objectives to reduce dependence on imported water. The 20 MGD capacity will be evaluated at a sufficient level of detail in order to allow subsequent regulatory permitting and construction. The OWDP EIR will also evaluate one or more “Regional Projects” of up to 60 MGD capacity, in order to address water demands at a regional scale, allowing for partnership with one or more other potential water retailers or wholesalers.
Because the EIR will address a range of Project alternatives and capacities, it will be prepared as a “Program EIR” pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15168. The overall intent of the Program EIR will be to provide a sufficient level of detailed analysis that West Basin could pursue any of the Project options and proceed with regulatory permitting and construction. Unless otherwise noted, the Regional Project would generally include similar design and components as the Local Project, but at an increased size or capacity.
Location
The desalination Project is proposed on an existing 33-acre site located at the NRG El Segundo Generating Station (301 Vista Del Mar), in the southwestern extent of the City of El Segundo (refer to Attachment 1). As shown in attachment 1, West Basin will also evaluate other desalination plant site alternatives located in Redondo Beach, including the AES Corporation (AES) Redondo Generating Station location.
Attachment 2 includes the West Basin’s Notice of Preparation & Public Scoping Meeting Notice which contains additional information regarding the proposed project and the environmental review process. The EIR will evaluate a range of desalination capacities, intake/discharge alternatives, treatment processes, power supply options, and product water conveyance alignment alternatives, among other Project component options.
CONCLUSION:
Staff is recommending that the City Council receive report and provide direction as to how to participate in this process. Staff is prepared to review the key environmental issue areas disclosed in the NOP and prepare a comment letter at the direction of the City Council.
Attachments:
1. Local Vicinity Map
2. West Basin - Notice of Preparation and Public Scoping Meeting Notice