HELIX PUTS EL MONTE WATER PROJECT ON ICE

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September 7, 2011 (La Mesa) –Today the Helix Water District Board of Directors voted 5-0 to suspend the El Monte Valley Mining, Reclamation, and Groundwater Recharge Project in Lakeside.

 

“The El Monte Valley Project halt is primarily due to a delay in the availability of advanced treated recycled water and increased project cost,” said Helix General Manager Mark Weston in a statement issued to media.

 

For the El Monte Valley Project, Padre Dam Municipal Water District (Padre Dam) would produce the advanced treated recycled water, which requires upgrading and expansion of Padre’s reclamation facility.

 

“Due to a revenue shortfall, Padre Dam has deferred these improvements for at least four years,” Weston noted. “Also, during the preparation of the draft Environmental Impact Report, as the project design and cost were further refined, the estimated cost of the advanced treated recycled water increased from $1,200/acre-foot to about $1,850/acre-foot. Before moving forward, the District needs to have more certainty regarding both available water and total project cost.”

The project, if built, would boost the percentage of San Diego County’s water supplied from local sources to 15%, up from the current 3.3% level, providing more security in the event of drought or discontinuation of water sources form other areas such as the San Jaquin Delta and the Colorado River.

 

The El Monte project had encountered opposition from some valley residents who objected to noise and traffic from mining operations, loss of potable well water, and changes in water levels.

 

"I hope that one of the lessons learned from this project is that it is irresponsible for organizations and elected officials to early endorse a project based on a "concept" before all the costs and impacts are known," said Laura Cyphert, co-founder of the East County Community Action Coalition, which had raised concerns over the project. "In the end, I do believe that the Helix board made the right decision to suspect this project."

Weston indicated that Helix Water District remains committed to finding new, locally-controlled sources of water to reduce San Diego County’s dependence on imported water. The District will also continue to explore options for water reuse, he said.


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