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Technology Deployment (Salinas Project)
Over the past century, many robust systems of water distribution have been engineered across the state of California. This infrastructure is the bedrock of California’s economic strength, supporting the water needs of agriculture, industry, and human populations. Yet, even now, there exist in California residential communities that do not have ready access to safe drinking water. Of particular concern are the rural communities of Central California. Housing the workers of the nation’s breadbasket, many of these communities are too remote to be served by municipal water sources and instead rely on local well water. Some of these groundwater sources have become contaminated by unsafe levels of chemicals left by intensive fertilizer use. Affected communities have been forced to use bottled water for basic drinking and bathing.
These challenges should not be faced by residents of California in the twenty-first century. To respond to this pressing issue, the UCLA Water Technology Research Center has developed and deployed a novel system of community water treatment. Employing reverse-osmosis and desalination technologies, the WaTeR lab has created a treatment system roughly the size of a shipping container that can be installed on-site, allowing small communities to clean and store their own local groundwater. The systems require minimal modification to local plumbing and are envisioned to be a reliable, cost effective, and
(most importantly) safe source of potable water.
(most importantly) safe source of potable water.
With funding and support from (National Alliance for Water Innovation and the California Water Boards), our team has successfully built and maintained a working treatment system. Under close supervision of State and lab representatives, this inaugural system has provided tens of thousands of gallons of safe drinking water to a disadvantaged community in the Salinas Valley since July 2020. With two more water systems under construction, we envision the creation of a “virtual water district” that can serve the needs of any and all rural communities that struggle with access to clean water.
Project Goals
- Develop a reliable and affordable option for supplying safe drinking water to disadvantaged communities (DACs) where consolidation or alternate local well(s) are infeasible/impractical.
- To demonstrate that geographically separate but virtually networked (autonomous but remotely monitored/operated) treatment systems can be operated in several communities with economies of scale at affordable operated costs.
- Work with Regional Board to:
- Demonstrate septic tank suitability for residuals discharge from water treatment systems in small rural DACs.
Pilot Community Characteristics
Community Outreach: 2015 – 2021
2015 – 2019
- Informing the residents of the basic treatment technology
- Demonstrating the water treatment technology
- Respond to questions by the residents
- Coordinate scheduling of site visits to carry out various elements of the project work
- Informing the residents and owners regarding the project status project along its various stages
2020 – 2021
- The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our Outreach Program more than any other part of the project
- In-person outreach has been postponed since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic (~March 2020)
- The project team maintained communication with three owners regarding infrastructure upgrade by phone, Zoom, and in-person (adhering to PPE and social distancing guidelines).
It is crucial to re-energize the project outreach program in order to build confidence in the drinking water program.
Major Project Elements
- Determination of Community Water Consumption
- Water Treatment Design
- Design and implementation of a rigorous water quality
- Concentrate Management
Project Stakeholders
- UCLA Project Team
- Property owner
- Residents
- Greater Monterey Community
- State and local elected representatives
- State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water
- Central Coaster Water Quality Control Board
- Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Department, Drinking Water Program
- Monterey County Resources Management Agency, Building Services Department