SACRAMENTO, California — State water regulators are in the early stages of easing environmental rules for desalination plants along California’s coast to boost water supplies as the climate changes.
The State Water Resources Control Board kick-started its process to amend its ocean protection standards for desalination plants at a scoping meeting Monday after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the regulator to consider streamlining new projects in August 2022.
Though the board has yet to publish new draft rules, staff said Monday they were looking to speed permitting, especially for novel technologies, and clarify how and when to measure and mitigate the loss of marine life to the highly saline water that plants discharge back into the ocean. They are also interested in requiring projects to prove a strong need for the additional water supply.
California officials have forecast a 10 percent decrease in the state’s water supplies by 2040 because of climate change. Desalination is more expensive than other water supply alternatives, costing twice as much as water recycling, but it appeals to otherwise arid coastal areas willing to experiment with new technology. California currently has eight operating desalination plants and three facilities in the planning or permitting phase.
