Project Partnerships

The proposed project is being advanced through a public-private partnership that ensures protection of public trust, maintains traditional governmental oversight, insulates the public from financial risk, and will conform to all applicable environmental laws and regulations.

• The purchasers are protected by a long-term, fixed price water purchase agreement;
• The purchasers control the allocation and use of their own capacity;
• The purchasers have an exclusive right to its portion of the output for a thirty year term with renewal options for two additional periods of 30 years;
• Cost of water to the Purchasers will always be less than or equal to its avoided cost of imported water purchases;
• The purchasers do not pay for the water unless delivered in accordance with predetermined specifications;
• Poseidon shall operate and maintain the project in accordance with all applicable environmental laws and has waived any rights it may have under international trade treaties to contest the validity of environmental laws and regulations or terms and conditions of any corresponding permits.

In addition to their interest in securing a new, locally controlled, drought-proof supply of potable water from the desalination facility, the public agencies participating in the project share a long-standing commitment to water conservation and water reuse. Today, these agencies have some of the most aggressive conservation and reuse programs in the State as demonstrated by the following:

• Each of the existing and prospective project participants are committed to urban water conservation best management practices.
• In addition, Valley Center MWD, as an agricultural community, also is implementing best management practices for agricultural water conservation.
• Collectively, the local and regional water conservation programs will reduce the San Diego region’s reliance on imported water by more than 100,000 AFY by 2025.
• The participating agencies also have some of the most aggressive water recycling programs in the region when measured in terms of percent supply derived from recycled water. Thirty-three percent of Rincon’s and 20% of Carlsbad’s water demand is met through the use of recycled water and Valley Center recycles 100% of the wastewater generated in its service area.