Ew. I guess if treated sewage is good enough for the tourists, water loaded with green duck poop is good enough too.
A project is underway to divert excess water from Monterey’s El Estero Lake and add it to the city’s restricted water supply.
The landmark is located on Del Monte Avenue and is hard to miss for anyone driving into town as people paddle out on the water in duck and swan-shaped boats or picnic on the grass.
Maybe sell some to Nader’s Hotel. Get Moe to drink some on camera.
Nearly five years after Pacific Grove officials broke ground with golden-hued shovels for construction of a wastewater reclamation plant on Point Pinos in hopes of creating revenue from the sale of recycled water and water credits, the city is finding out the financial returns aren’t as golden as they had hoped.
The P.G. Local Water Project costs more than the city makes on recycled water. Last fiscal year the city loaned the project $600,000 to make up for less-than-expected revenue since the plant opened in December 2017, according to the 2021-22 budget.
Somebody’s going to get sued..
The application for the project was made by Vista Nadura LLC and developer Nader Agha, who were told in September by the Monterey County Planning Commission that their application is incomplete. They are appealing that decision to the county supervisors.
The site is located behind Carmel Valley Manor. The subdivision dates back to 2002, and Agha contends his application should have been certified as complete 13 years ago. A county report at the time indicated that the application was determined to be incomplete “because the applicant had not submitted proof of adequate water supply.”
Better idea: bypass all the complicated water credit issues and send that toilet water straight to the new hotels.
So it must have been a shock to P.G. City Manager Ben Harvey to receive a letter from the state water board on May 16, stating that the board was holding back on the payment because the city’s plan might be a breach of contract.
The issue appears to be a discrepancy of interpretations stemming from the water board’s 2009 order to the Monterey Peninsula to stop using water from the Carmel River. One interpretation is that due to the order, P.G. cannot keep any new water credits for itself – they all have to go back to the river.
Recycled sewage coming to town. Fist the golf course and cemetery, then the showers in the hotels.
In November, the state water board approved $2.3 million in Proposition 13 grant funding and $5.4 million in low-interest loan financing for the project designed to provide up to 125 acre-feet of irrigation supply per year to the Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links, El Carmelo Cemetery and Crespi Pond restrooms. There’s one condition however, that the “saved” potable water must be used to offset California American Water deliveries from the Carmel River until the board agrees to allow its use elsewhere. Some, like resident Luke Coletti, had previously expressed concerns about the city’s plans for the “saved” water.
With Cal Am, the customers lose both ways. Use too much and get a fine. Use too little and get a rate hike. And everyone wants to build more hotels, eh?
“Our customers have done such a great job at saving water,” said Catherine Stedman, Cal Am manager of external affairs. “We have fixed costs to maintain the water system, so when you’re selling less water, then that price per unit of water will need to increase.”
Cal Am said to help make up for the shortfall, its requesting a 15 percent rate increase for customers on the Monterey Peninsula.
The recycled water plan was a bait and switch.
City Manager Tom Frutchey explained during the October council hearing that it was always the plan to eventually make most of the saved potable water available for city allocation to new uses. He did, however, also note the allocation process can be lengthy and most of the water would remain in the river when the plant opens. The city’s plan calls for construction to begin in the spring and be finished and operational by late next year or early 2017.
Pacific Grove activist Luke Colletti called the city’s maneuvers on the project to make water available for new projects such as the New Bella hotel proposal at the American Tin Cannery instead of offsetting illegal diversions from the river a “major deception.” He argued the city was risking its state funding. Colletti alleged that city officials had lied to the Coastal Commission, which he said believed the recycled water would go back to the river to help the environment.
His P.R. Firm
Are there leaders of Pacific Grove still in favor of this relationship with him? Happens often when Nadir gets involved.
Attorney Chris Cayce, who represents Agha in the lawsuit, said Armanasco used the confidential information, protected by a confidentiality agreement, to help Deep Water Desal essentially copy Agha’s plans for a desal plant in Moss Landing, now known as the People’s Moss Landing Desal Project.
And they all thought that by filling out a survey the bill would be reduced.
District board chairman Tom McMahon said the board decided to act after it became apparent that so many business owners were blindsided by significant water bill increases late last year. McMahon, who owns Monterey Bay Laundry, counted himself among them.
McMahon said business owners expected a decrease based on promises contained in a Cal Am water use survey last summer and on the company’s website.
Either the neighbors filled their pool or Cal Am is up to it’s old tricks.
George Gergawy said he’s heard about the large bills for other Cal-Am customers and always thought it wasn’t real, until he opened his mailbox and saw the bill for $6,067.33. And, the home was empty last month after moving out.
According to Gergawy, the past 5 years the water bills at 747 Lyndon Street have been steady, between $15 and $16 dollars.
This Month’s Outrageous Cal Am Bill – $6,000 For A Vacant House