Talk to Rio Del Mar homeowners

By Don H. Heichel

Soquel Creek Water District decides to partner up to build desal plant with Santa Cruz Water: we receive no water in "dry years" and the cost is ANYWHERE up to $100 Million. Interest on 30-year bonds often doubles the face amount payback! The whole story is at http://www.soquelh2o.com

Being a scientist is not the prime factor; if the Water Board wants to know something they hire an expert scientist, financier, hydrologist, etc.

What's needed most is a common sense view of the future that allows decisions to reflect current realities. My best qualification is my willingness to take an interest in local water issues.

My stand is based on their reports and minutes and I am ready to defend my statements with their publications: my views mirror what's happening to Soquel Creek Water Customers and I mean the recent price increase and what lies ahead if we build desal.

In fact since the Soquel Creek Diversion was considered some time ago as a supplemental water source, I have attended Board meetings or followed them in minutes or the media.

My motivation for running is to keep the customers of Soquel Creek Water from signing a blank check to build desalination; we have a better, less expensive option in recycled water.

The WORST detail of the desal project is, and I quote "in dry years SqCWD would rely on groundwater suplies, and the City of Santa Cruz would operate the desalination plant to supplement their surface water supplies" (page 62, GMP).

I think that's horribly poor preparation for the next 6 year drought.

Think about it, desal production is 2.5 million gallons per day. Mr. Zeman, Santa Cruz Water Engineer confirmed a Sentinel story that the City can consume up to 16 million gallons per day in the summer. What's left for Soquel Creek Water...

I suspect Soquel Creek Water agreed to this desal deal because they admit 85% of our rain disappears each year, page 10, GMP; Soquel Creek Water knows that's why we survived the 6 year drought without rationing, 15% is easily accomplished and in dry years in the future desal will have Soquel Creek Water Customers right where we are now with Santa Cruz receiving the water. Is that good planning to you?

Recycled Water Advantages:
1. It's all ours, no forfeiting production in dry years
2. It's only 500 AFY, half the desal production; huge saving
3. Puts us 400+ AFY below SqCW sustainable pumping definition
4. Allows decades of supply with expanded pumping
5. Less than one half the cost of desal
6. It waters Seascape Golf Course (that private well is a suspected future source of salt-water intrusion, GMP)
7. Pasatiempo is watered with recycled water

In conversation with Supervisor Pirie, I mentioned that according to SqCWD's own figures they are in balance with current pumping, she immediately responded, "I know".

There's no crisis in Soquel Creek Water; Ellen Pirie voted for the groundwater emergency in Pajaro and she was the only Supervisor with the clarity to do so.

When desal was first proposed the pumping situation was different, but as General Manager Brown states, "we didn't anticipate the slowdown in water demand when we adopted the old plan" (4-15-08 minutes, casette tape, hear it on you tube link on soquelh2o.com).

As a customer of Soquel Creek Water, I do not wish to sign a blank check to build and run desal; no one knows what the price will be (their official web site, http://www.soquelcreekwater.com minutes 4-15-08 page 5) but I can guarantee you it will be added to the water rate increase we received this March and in a drought Santa Cruz will receive the water. WHAT?!?!

With an eye to future weather predictions, yes they call for less rain, but 15% is not a stretch at all and getting just another 5% of our rain into the aquifer increases our pumping production by hundreds of AFY and raises water tables for all pumpers, private and public(as well as protecting us from salt water intrusion).

Still the main thing to focus on is the prediction of heavier rains, deluges. This means more erosion and strongly indicates we must start to capture storm water to regenerate the aquifer and protect the watershed.

The huge cost of desal, the opportunity of individually owning recycled water demands new leadership.

Check this for clever phrasing...in the 7-22 Mid-County Post Soquel Creek Water Gen Mgr Brown states "Santa Cruz County, like most of California, currently lacks a sufficient water supply to ensure reliable, high-quality drinking water over the long term in the event of drought".

Notice she did not write Soquel Creek Water!

There's only one way to put the fear of the voter in our Water Board, elect new Leadership that will promise to place this issue before you to vote on!