Electro Purification permit open for public comment

Given the large-scale volume of the permit request and the assessed potential for impacts, District staff has developed a comprehensive, phased permit recommendation to the Board that avoids unreasonable impacts and ensures that the aquifer will not be dewatered.

The GM proposes to authorize up to 0.5 MGD (182,500,000 gallons per year) in an initially authorized Phase 1 production amount. Staff determined that this Phase I production volume has little to no potential to cause unreasonable impacts to surrounding wells or the aquifer. Once the permit becomes effective, water production fees and drought curtailments would apply to the authorized Phase I volume amount. The proposed additional phases, if authorized and implemented, are Phase II at 1 MGD, Phase III at 1.5 MGD, and Phase IV at 2.5 MGD.

Under the terms of the prospective permit if permit-specified requirements are satisfied and implementation of the applicant’s Compliance Monitoring Plan, Impact Avoidance Plan, and Mitigation Plan avoids unreasonable impacts, the GM will consider whether the DFC have been achieved before authorizing additional phases of production. These plans describe the District established Rolling Oaks index well and an extensive network of wells for monitoring water levels and water quality. There are also provisions in the plans to protect well owners from unreasonable impacts through measures such as lowering/replacing of pumps or deepening/replacing eligible wells in advance of increased production.