HUNTINGTON BEACH—Those supporting Poseidon Water’s plans to build a saltwater-to-freshwater conversion factory on the Huntington Beach coast certainly hoped the desalination project would be moving forward in earnest by now. A December 2019 vote on the desalination plant was put off, however, and Poseidon would have to wait a few...
Menu
Menu
Menu
Menu
One Response
The Poseidon project’s growth inducing effects are unknown. The position Poseidon has taken is they will offer water for sale. The use of the waters will be decided by that purchaser(s) of their water. Growth inducing effects include population growth which in southern California will mean high density apartment and condominiums projects. The California Department of Housing and Community Development has issued their Regional Housing Needs Assessment RHNA) for southern California. The state is mandating southern California cities and counties each do their share by zoning land to accommodate 1.3 million new housing units by 2029 (Then a new additional housing allocation will occur). Each city and county is required to do their fair share with priority given to in-fill develop in urban areas (example: Orange County). The southern California Association of Governments is in the process of assigning each city and county their fair-share of the RHNA allocation. For example Newport Beach’s draft RHNA allocation is 4,800 new housing units, 41% must be affordably priced. In order for southern California to continue to grow, southern California needs more water. One alternative is desalinization (Poseidon), another is recycling waste water into drinking water. I don’t favor more growth, more traffic, congestion and air quality impact. While Poseidon has deferred identifying the use of the water to the purchaser, it is obvious the water will support new development.