Since 2010, California American Water, the investor-owned utility that provides water to the Monterey Peninsula, has pursued building a desalination project to bolster the local water supply and put an end to its illegal overpumping of the Carmel River. In that time, the volume of documents born out of that effort – including by those trying to kill the project – could fill a warehouse. Meanwhile, a cheaper project – Pure Water Monterey, which recycles wastewater – has outpaced Cal Am’s efforts, and has already added enough water to the local portfolio to allow Cal Am to stop its overpumping, although a cease-and-desist order from the state remains in effect. … That raises some obvious questions: Why build a costly desal project if the water isn’t needed? 

Other Monterey Peninsula water news:

• The Monterey Herald (Calif.): Desal approval: Local water agencies file objections to judge’s ruling
• Monterey County Now (Seaside, Calif.): County Water Resources Agency gets funding to study flood mitigation efforts along Carmel River