CAPP is Carpinteria’s water future – CVN Article, August 17, 2023
At the time of the writing of this article we are working hard on the final design for the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP), which will be a major water supply advancement for the Carpinteria community.
Over the past few decades, the Carpinteria Valley Water District (CVWD) and our customers have seen just how unpredictable our surface water supplies are during times of drought, due to our State Water Project and Lake Cachuma allocations becoming extremely variable and unreliable. When faced with limited surface water, we have become highly dependent on pumping groundwater from the Carpinteria Groundwater Basin to deliver water to your tap.
However, groundwater takes years to recharge and requires steady and consistent winter rain which is never guaranteed. CAPP will create a solution that provides us with a locally managed and locally controlled water supply every day, including during times of prolonged drought. CAPP will also help keep our groundwater aquifers full and ensure high quality water is available for the future. This water will be treated using three processes: ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light/advanced oxidation. This type of project is sometimes called an Indirect Potable Reuse, or IPR Project.
The CAPP, which has been in the works since 2016 in partnership with the Carpinteria Sanitary District, will produce water that is equal to or better in quality than existing drinking water standards before it is put into the Carpinteria Groundwater Basin. Our plan is to have CAPP operational by 2027 to provide supply to meet roughly one quarter of the annual water demands and build up groundwater storage to ensure the community of Carpinteria is better prepared for the next extended drought.
I’m aware that some community members have raised questions regarding the quality of the water produced by CAPP. Some of the topics that have been brought up to me include removal of hormones, pharmaceuticals, boron and the infamous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or “forever chemicals” from the water. Our singular responsibility is to ensure high quality water to our customers, and we want to assure you that the advanced water purification process is effective and safe for our community.
Our team of scientists and engineers working on CAPP design are highly qualified and have worked on other projects similar to ours around the state and country. In addition, there are multiple regulatory agencies that will oversee the design process and the final quality of the water produced by CAPP. These regulatory agencies have had significant experience working with the 12 existing advanced purification projects across California, and with many new similar projects currently underway. Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), secondary MCLS and notification levels exist for a broad range of water constituents and contaminants. These standards are based on health-based research and are reevaluated as new research is made available. We are required to meet or exceed these levels, sample CAPP water regularly and report water quality results demonstrating that we are producing a final product that passes strict water quality standards.
Metals are removed through both the conventional wastewater treatment plant and the advanced treatment processes currently being designed. CAPP, along with other existing indirect potable projects, are designed to reduce hormones, pharmaceuticals and personal care products to very low levels. These facilities are also designed to remove all known PFAS chemicals to below detectable levels, which is done in the reverse osmosis process. Additionally, the purified water will be injected into the groundwater basin where it will blend with existing groundwater. The blended water will sit for several months before it is pumped out and cleaned one last time before being added to the distribution system.
Many other agencies have led the way demonstrating the success and safety of water purification and water reuse projects throughout California. Some of these local projects include Las Virgenes-Triunfo’s Pure Water Project, Pure Water Monterey’s groundwater replenishment project and Orange County Water District’s Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). Orange County’s GWRS is currently the largest advanced water purification system in the entire world, producing 130 million gallons per day of purified water. Each of these projects are regulated by California’s State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), just like CAPP will be.
As we continue to make forward strides on the CAPP, we hope that the community will attend meetings and future open houses. We encourage you to explore the CAPP website at cvwd.net/cappto learn additional information and reach out to us with any additional questions that you may have regarding this future water supply. You can also follow us on Twitter @CarpWater, or Carpinteria Valley Water District on Facebook and Nextdoor.
If you have not signed up for our free water-saving tool EyeOnWater, we encourage you to take advantage of this great system and set up text and/or email leak alerts. You can monitor your water use by signing up for your free EyeOnWater account at eyeonwater.com/signup. We continue to offer rebates for residential and commercial customers for water conservation fixtures and appliances as well as rebates on WaterWise Landscape upgrades. You may e-mail conservation@cvwd.net for additional information.