Sea Water

Poseidon Resources plans to build the western hemisphere’s largest ocean-water desalinization plant in the western basin of Carlsbad’s Agua Hedionda Lagoon, home to a power plant, an aqua farm, and the Sea World research hatchery.

The 300-million-dollar project will provide up to 50 million gallons of fresh drinking water per day to communities all over North County, from Valley Center to Encinitas. Agencies such as the California Coastal Commission, San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, and numerous environmental groups presented many hurdles before the project was approved on Thursday, September 3.

Kimberly Hale, spokesperson for Poseidon, said, “We’ve now been in the permit process during the terms of three presidents.” A few months ago, the state Coastal Commission, against their own staff’s recommendations, finally approved the plan after Poseidon Resources had jumped through every possible hoop.

The Coastal Commission struck a deal with Poseidon Resources that allows the project to “proceed without delay.” The plant should begin pumping drinking water in 2011.