Because the State of California has mandated that groundwater basins be sustainable by 2040, the Soquel Creek Water District must find additional sources of water to use to recharge the aquifers we all depend on.
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What is Pure Water Soquel?
Pure Water Soquel is a groundwater replenishment project being explored by the Soquel Creek Water District (District). This project would add purified recycled water from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility after it is further cleaned by the SCWD through a multi-barrier advanced water purification process to the local underground water basin to replenish the basin, restore protective groundwater levels, and prevent seawater intrusion/contamination from moving farther inland.
For information on the project, visit the SCWD website at www.soquelcreekwater.org/planning-our-water-future/purewatersoquel
Why is the project called “Pure Water Soquel”?
The term Pure Water illustrates the purified water that results from the high level of treatment. Other communities considering or using recycled purified water projects in California are also using ‘Pure Water’ in their name, such as PureWater Monterey and PureWater San Diego.
What treatment is the District considering to purify the water used to recharge its aquifers?
The advanced water purification (AWP) process recycles secondary treated water from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) and then purifying it using AWP steps of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, UV, and advanced oxidation.
Is an Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Facility a wastewater treatment plant?
No. The water being used from the WWTF has already gone through secondary treatment. The AWP facility provides further treatment to purify this water to drinking water standards.
Will this AWP facility generate any odors?
No. This facility uses only secondary treatment water that is odorless and the AWP’s product is up to drinking water standards.
What will the AWP facility look like?
It will be housed in a building that will fit into the neighborhood
Are there AWP facilities currently in operation?
Yes. At the Orange County Water District where their state-of-the-art system purifies treated wastewater using a three-step advanced treatment process consisting of microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide. The process produces high-quality water that meets or exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards. Similar projects are in are in various stages of evaluation in Monterey, Santa Clara County, and numerous other locations in California.
Where will the AWP facility be located?
The District is evaluating three locations: (1) The District Headquarters in Soquel, (2) The Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility in Santa Cruz, and (3) Chanticleer and Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz. These sites will undergo environmental assessment in the environmental impact report (EIR).
Can the District build a municipal water treatment plant next to its headquarters?
Facilities that are related to the production, generation, storage, treatment, or transmission of water supplies (such as an AWP facility) or for the production or generation of electrical energy are exempt from local building and zoning ordinances under California Government Code Section 53091.
The PG&E Substation property at the corner of Capitola Avenue/Soquel Drive is zoned residential (R-1-6) and many of our water facilities, including our storage tanks and production wells, are zoned residential.
Will the District prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?
Yes. The Pure Water Soquel’s EIR will consider the project’s potential to cause any “significant effects” on the environment. By law under CEQA, this includes land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, and objects of historic or aesthetic significance” (CEQA Guidelines Section 15382). In addition, the EIR will also consider the project’s potential effects related to greenhouse gas emissions, population growth, hazards and hazardous materials, public services, utilities and service systems, geology and soils, groundwater, recreation, and energy use.
When will the EIR be ready for public review and comment?
The Draft EIR is to be released for public review and comment in early 2018.
How much will the Pure Water Soquel project cost: how will it be funded?
Current estimates are between $70-$80 million dollars and the District is actively pursuing grants and loans to help reduce the cost. Recently, the District has been awarded $150,000 in a Water Resources Control Board state grant, $150,000 in US Bureau of Reclamation federal grant, and is working with the state on a $1M grant through Prop 1.
Is the District looking into other water supply options?
Yes. Staff is currently assessing three potential water supply options in addition to the Pure Water Soquel project.
- Surface water: The District is working with the City of Santa Cruz on evaluating a transfer of excess winter water, when available, to the District.
- Desalination: The District is also open to receiving desalinated water from Deep Water Desal, a private company developing a desalination facility in Moss Landing.
- Stormwater: The District is also in the early stages of evaluating potential sites that would be feasible for aquifer recharge with excess winter, storm water.
The supply options being considered are in differing stages of evaluation and development — which is why the District has not yet made a final decision on selecting a project. A combination of supply options could be implemented to address region-wide issues that include groundwater overdraft/seawater intrusion but also drought shortfalls, reliability, timeliness, climate change, and basin-wide sustainability.
Is Soquel Creek Water District doing any notification and outreach?
Yes. Since April 2015, the District has been including information in its newsletter ‘What’s On Tap,’ distributed to all water customers, our website, monthly email blasts, articles and coverage in the Aptos-Times, Capitola-Soquel Times, and the Santa Cruz Sentinel; and in social media i.e. District’s Facebook page and NextDoor.
In November 2016, the District worked to inform the community with:
- Nearly 7,000 postcards mailed to adjacent property owners/occupants
- Emails sent to over 7,000 District email subscribers
- Newspaper advertisements were run in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aptos Times, and Capitola-Soquel Times
- Information posted on social media sites (Facebook and Next Door)
- Two informational meetings held on December 7, 2016 at Twin Lakes Church
- Met with small groups of neighbors that requested Q/A on the Pure Water Soquel Project
If neighborhood groups, businesses, clubs/organizations would like staff to give a presentation and have Q/A, the SCWD welcomes that as well.
How can I receive up-to-date information?
The District sends out a monthly email update on current events and information related to the District’s activities and business.
To sign up, go to: www.soquelcreekwater.org/news/monthly-e-blast.
Contact information: Melanie Mow Schumacher, Associate Manager — Special Projects 831-475-8501×153, [email protected]