More Soapbox - Desalination plant debate continues

By Michael Hartnett and Errol Tremolada
 

Marin Republicans have had a strong tradition of conservatism, from William Kent to more recently, Peter Behr and William Filante.  We are proud to announce the formation of the Marin Chapter of Republicans for Environmental Protection (REP).  Our motto is, "Conservation is Conservative!"

REP-Marin has grave concerns over a proposed plan to build a desalination plant to meet the water needs of residents during drought years. To their credit, the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) has held over a dozen meetings on the issue and taken in hundreds of public comments.  However, all indications are that MMWD plans to proceed with desalination, as the MMWD board has spent millions studying the issue.  The board approved an Environmental Impact Report this spring that many in the environmental community felt did not adequately address the deleterious effects of sludge in the bay and other problems.  Moreover, MMWD General Manager Paul Helliker and board members have dismissed conservation alone as a viable alternative.  They have raised rates more that 20% in the last two years, perhaps in anticipation of financing desalination. At recent meetings some board members have sounded increasingly alarming scenarios that would leave Marin without water. The implication is that only desalination will save us from disaster.

The price tag of desalination ought to be enough to reconsider the project.  Start up cost is $120 million, plus interest on the bonds needed to finance it.  Even operating at low capacity, the desalination plant would nearly double MMWD's energy costs, and C02 output.

Using much of MMWD's own data, James Fryer's report showed that replacing toilets, showers and appliances with ones that save water, coupled with stepped up efforts to use recycled water, rainwater capturing systems, gray-water recycling and black-water treatment, alone with the use of drought tolerant landscaping would save more water than a desalination plant would produce.  While not inexpensive, these measures would cost less than desalination and would be in tuen with achieving goals of sustainability.  Desalination would take away money from conservation efforts and paradoxically could make our water shortage worse.  Marin needs to focus on efficiency before we look to increase supply.  Efficiency and conservation can be our answer.  REP's California Chapter President stated-

"Desalination is a tempting option to address our water shortcomings, but the enormous energy it consumes disqualifies it as a real solution on par with conservation.  As Republicans, we embrace long-term innovations which stabilize our environment and protect our resources.  Conservation provides the greatest value for our efforts, and discourages a habitual short-term thinking."

There are cheaper, more environmentally sound alternatives available and REP believes we need to choose a road of conservation.

Submitted by Errol Tremolada,  Founder, REP- Marin, tremoladae@yahoo.com and Michael Hartnett, REP-Marin, mhartnett63@gmail.com

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