Why is the City of Santa Cruz (SCWD)and Soquel Creek Water District (SqCWD) investigating a new water source through desalination?
Both the City of Santa Cruz and SqCWD evaluated their water needs and available sources and determined that a new water source is a necessary component of an overall water plan to meet the demand for water in the community. Desalination is being investigated as a potential new source of supply. Currently, the City of Santa Cruz demand for water exceeds the estimated available yield from its existing sources during drought conditions, even with mandatory curtailment requirements. The Santa Cruz City Council conducted an exhaustive process beginning in 1997 to evaluate several new water source options to protect customers in drought years. From these background evaluations on water demand, conservation, curtailment, and alternative water supplies, the City of Santa Cruz Integrated Water Plan (IWP) was developed and adopted in 2005. The purpose of the IWP is to provide a reliable water supply to meet long-term needs while ensuring protection of public health and safety. The proposed Integ
