SD County Water Authority Ends Performance Reports for Carlsbad Desal Plant

Curious ratepayers must use the California Public Records Act to get basic information about the desal plant that cost them $142 million in 2020-21 for 10% of their drinking water

The San Diego County Water Authority (CWA) will no longer issue annual performance reports for its Carlsbad desalination plant, which provides 10 percent of the water it sells to 24 member-agencies but creates 20-24 percent of its water-supply expenses.

The plant was built by Poseidon Water, the company that will soon ask the California Coastal Commission for approval to build a nearly identical $1.4 billion desal plant in Huntington Beach.

In August, 2017, general manager Sandra Kerl issued the first annual performance report for the $1 billion Carlsbad facility.

“Going forward,” the report said, “staff intends to report on CDP (Carlsbad Desalination Plant) performance following the conclusions of each full contract year.” The CWA has a 30-year contract with Poseidon to buy at least 48,000 acre-feet of water a year regardless of need.

Once a year for the next three years those detailed reports were part of the official record at board meetings.

Performance report excerpt

But when Ray Hiems…