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Ocean Plan Requirements for Seawater Desalination Facilities

Announcements

Seawater Desalination Overview

Desalination facilities produce freshwater by removing salts from brackish or saltwater for municipal, industrial, or other uses. Seawater desalination draws water from the ocean and passes the water through a membrane, resulting in an amount of fresh water and an amount of hypersaline brine. The Ocean Plan includes requirements to ensure the construction and operation of seawater desalination facilities minimize intake and mortality of all forms of marine life. Mitigation measures are required to address harmful impacts to marine life that occur even when a desalination facility uses the best available site, design, and technology feasible. State Water Board Resources Control Board Resolution 2015-0033 describes the responsibility regarding the siting, planning, construction, and operation of desalination plants in the state of California.

California Ocean Plan
CALIFORNIA OCEAN PLAN
Final Staff Report
FINAL STAFF REPORT

Seawater Desalination Facilities

Region 1 – North Coast
Mona Dougherty
Mona.Dougherty@waterboards.ca.gov
707-445-6129

Region 2 – San Francisco Bay
Thomas Mumley
Thomas.Mumley@waterboards.ca.gov
510-622-2395
Region 3 – Central Coast
Peter von Langen
Peter.VonLangen@waterboards.ca.gov
805-549-3688

Region 4 – Los Angeles
Jeong-Hee Lim
Jeong-Hee.Lim@waterboards.ca.gov
951-576-6616
Region 8 – Santa Ana
Terri Reeder
Terri.Reeder@waterboards.ca.gov
951-782-4995

Region 9 – San Diego
Fisayo Osibodu
Olufisayo.Osibodu@waterboards.ca.gov
619-521-8036

Contact the State Water Board

Clifton Herrmann
Recycled Water and Desalination Unit
Clifton.Herrmann@waterboards.ca.gov
916-327-8638

Laura McLellan
Recycled Water and Desalination Unit
Laura.McLellan@waterboards.ca.gov
916-319-8288