Improving the
Wastewater Reclamation Plant/System for Del Monte Forest
October, 2004 Summary
Background History
The Reclamation Plant/System is owned
and operated by the Carmel Area Wastewater District (CAWD)
and the Pebble Beach Community Services District (PBCSD).
The Pebble Beach Company provided financial guarantees
necessary to finance the $33.9 million cost to construct the
publicly owned and operated wastewater reclamation project
back in 1992. At that time the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District (MPWMD) approved the plan whereby the PB
Co. , in exchange for the financial guarantee, received a
water right of 365 acre feet of Cal-Am water (the "Water
Entitlement").
The primary users of this reclaimed
water include Del Monte Forest Golf Course owners. They are
known as "Independent Reclaimed Water Users Group (IRWUG),
and include: Cypress Point Golf Club, Monterey Peninsula
Country Club, and Poppy Hills Golf Course. The recycled
wastewater is piped from the Carmel treatment plant, near
Highway 1 to users in the Forest
This Group has been working with the
owners of the Plant/System and Pebble Beach Co. since 1992
when the first Agreements for the sale of reclaimed water
were executed..
Supply and Quality of Reclaimed
Water Not Acceptable
Reclaimed water has been delivered to
the Users Group since 1994. However, this water has not meet
the contractual obligations with regard to quantity and
quality of the water. The design capacity of the project was
for 800 acre feet per year. The actual yearly average of
reclaimed water production from 1994 through 2003 was 670
acre feet, requiring an average of 280 acre feet of potable
water to be used to meet the total needs of 950 acre feet.
High salt content in the recycle water has been damaging to
the golf courses and the supply has been inconsistent. The
Pebble Beach Co. and Users Group have been working with the
owners of the Plant/System on ways to improve the supply and
quality of the water. A Phase II Improvement plan was
developed which involves additional treatment facilities,
(state-of-the-art micro filtration and reverse osmosis
system at the Carmel treatment plant) to remove excess
salts. This improvement includes the renovation of the
existing empty Forest Lake Reservoir (located off Lopez
Road) for additional storage of 425 acre feet of recycled
water when it is not required by the Users Group for the
golf courses. This project improvement plan has been
estimated to cost approximately $22 million
A new MPWMD Ordinance, No. 109,
adopted on May 27, 2004 allows the PB Co. to finance the
cost of the Phase II Improvement plan by selling a portion
of their Water Entitlement to interested Del Monte Forest
property owners. Read details of the Ordinance on the
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District website,
www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us
New Agreements have been developed by
the Users Group, PB Co. and MPWMD with new terms and
conditions covering the sale (or purchase) of reclaimed
water.
David A. Berger, General Manager of
the MPWMD, recently advised us that during their November
meeting the District Board of Directors will be reviewing
the new agreements required to implement the recently
approved Ordinance 109.
Status of Financing
Improvements
Mark Stilwell, Ex. VP. PB Co.
indicated in September that they are cautiously optimistic
on the sale of their "entitled" water. Forest property
owners are responding to their offer. The Company had
reached 25% of their goal last month. Mr. Stilwell also
stated that when 110 acre-feet of the subscriptions have
been secured, the property owners will then have 30 days to
pay for the water.
To learn more about the progress of
the financing you may visit the PBCSD website.
www.pbcsd.org
and review the future minutes of the PBCSD Board of
Directors meetings as they will continue to cover this
important project.
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