Revised Draft Engineering Report Available

For the project to begin operations, MRWPCA must obtain a number of permits from the State. One of these is a groundwater replenishment permit issued by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) in consultation with the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (DDW). As part of the process to obtain this RWQCB permit, on January 29, 2016, MWRPCA submitted a draft Engineering Report to DDW for approval and to the RWQCB for review. The draft report provides information about the project and how it complies with public health and water quality regulations. On April 15, 2016, DDW provided comments on the initial draft Engineering Report. MRWPCA revised and submitted a revised draft Engineering Report on May 25, 2016. On July 1, 2016, DDW sent a letter to MRWPCA that stated the Revised Draft Engineering Report was ready for posting for a public hearing with one minor text edit.   The Revised Draft Engineering Report, dated July 1, 2016, is available here for viewing.

The other steps for issuance of the RWQCB permit include the following activities. MRWPCA will provide updates as the project advances through these steps.

Step 1. The DDW and the RWQCB will review the draft Engineering Report and may provide MRWPCA with comments or questions. When the regulatory comments/questions have been resolved to the satisfaction of the regulators, MRWPCA will prepare a final draft report. This step was completed July 1, 2016.

Step 2. MRWPCA will hold a public hearing for the project on August 22, 2016 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Information on the project is currently available to the public for review 30 days before the hearing, including the hearing notification, information that will be provided at the hearing, and the final draft Engineering report. A public notice was posted in the “Legal Notices” section of the Classifieds (page B5) in the Monterey Herald Newspaper on July 19, 2016 and sent by U.S. Mail to all owners of wells located within the Seaside Groundwater Basin boundary. Public comments will be accepted at the public hearing and during a 10-day public comment period following the hearing.  Specifically, comments may be submitted in writing through September 1, 2016 at 5:00 PM.

Step 3. Based on comments received during the hearing or comment period, MRWPCA will finalize the Engineering Report for submittal to the DDW and RWQCB.

Step 4. The DDW will send a letter to the RWQCB recommending that the RWQCB issue a permit for the project as well as any permit conditions that DDW recommends for inclusion in the permit.

Step 5. The RWQCB will issue a tentative permit for public review and comment, and will provide a public comment period of approximately 30 days. The RWQCB will hold a public hearing on the tentative permit for consideration of adoption by its Board.

This entry was posted in News & Announcements on July 20, 2016 by PWM.