California Desalination News & Funding Update  
All,

CalDesal is pleased to send along some links to some news items over the past few weeks that refer to desalination in California and the Federal government’s desalination funding announcement and industry news.

Federal News:

As many of you know, the CalDesal Executive Committee made a good move to have a limited federal presence with flyers and information handed out while CalDesal and it’s members were in Washington DC. Over the past three years we have seen increased levels of funding and interest at the Federal level – Last year there was a Bureau Title XVI Desalination funding program, and we sent an update on desalination innovation funding etc.

In the last update, we sent information about the DOE Desalination Innovate HUB – look at last month’s Alert for more information. We also provided a link to the DOE EERE Solar Desalination FOA. 

Late in April the Bureau announced more funding:

Bureau of Reclamation makes $32 million in funding opportunities available for Desalination Construction Projects and Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse projects under the WIIN Act

The Bureau of Reclamation has released two funding opportunities under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Desalination Construction Projects and Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Projects. Applications for both of the funding opportunities are due by June 28, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. MDT. The Desalination Construction Projects funding opportunity is for sponsors of ocean and brackish water desalination projects to request cost-shared funding for the planning, design, and/or construction of those projects. The recipient must provide at least 75% of the total project costs. Eligible applicants include states, departments of a state, subdivisions of a state, or a public agency organized pursuant to state law. To be eligible, sponsors must have completed a feasibility study and submitted it to Reclamation for review. Approximately two to six awards are expected to be made with up to $12 million available. This funding opportunity is available at www.grants.gov by searching for funding opportunity number BOR-DO-19-F008 and BOR-DO-19-F018.


The Executive Branch has released the “Coordinated Strategic Plan to Advance Desalination for Enhanced Water Security”
I know we sent this before, but our board requested to send it out again – it’s good information. The Federal Government released their response to the WIIN act and Desalination Act of 1996 re-authorization as the “Coordinated Strategic Plan to Advance Desalination for Enhanced Water Security”. It’s a good report and something that can use to advance water security through water portfolio planning including desalination. For the report and more information here is the link:  https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Coordinated-Strategic-Plan-to-Advance-Desalination-for-Enhanced-Water-Security-2019.pdf

State News

The State DWR released round two (CAP2) funding under Prop 1 desalination grant continuous application funding program.

There has been a “continuous” application process for the remaining funding under the Prop 1 desalination grant funding program. On May 1 st the department announced funding three projects with the Monterey Desalination project receiving a $10Million allocation.  For more :

Carlsbad Intake/Outfall Permit Approved
Last week the Carlsbad Desalination Plant (CDP), Poseidon Water and San Diego County Water Authority, its developer and owner and public agency partner and water purchaser; had two pieces of good and well-earned news. It began with the San Diego Water Board’s unanimous vote authorizing a new National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit—an order that was eight years in the making—and was followed, one day later, by the Coastal Commission’s unanimous vote to approve a coastal development permit for Poseidon’s proposed Otay River Estuary Restoration Project. See Regional Board press release:


Thank you for reviewing,


Paul Kelley
Executive Director
CalDesal
About CalDesal

CalDesal is the only advocacy group in California dedicated to advancing the responsible development of ocean desalination, groundwater desalination and salinity management activities to help meet the state's water-supply challenges.   Join Today!