Water Authority board approves landmark seawater desalination project

Carlsbad plant expected to produce first water in 2016

SAN DIEGO – On Thursday, Nov. 29, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors voted to approve a landmark agreement to purchase up to 56,000 acre-feet of water annually from what will be the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant in Carlsbad. The plant is expected to start producing up to 50 million gallons a day in 2016.

The board approved a 30-year water purchase agreement with project developer Poseidon Resources. The reverse-osmosis facility will make local water supplies more reliable by reducing the region’s d...