Desalination good enough for Navy We lived...

Desalination good enough for Navy

We lived at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from 1974 to 1976 when my

husband was the controller of the naval base and naval station. The

only source of fresh water we had came from the desalinization plant.

The water was clean and tasted OK. We all agree that we need to do

something to assure us of having water after 2030. The cost will

increase if we wait.

TERRY SCHNITZER

Huntington Beach

Plant will bring benefits to city

During my more than 38-year career as a control systems engineer,

I have developed and implemented systems that use reverse osmosis,

gravity filtration, microfiltration, floccing and settling, as well

as myriad wastewater treatment processes. The reverse osmosis project

being proposed for the desalination of seawater in Huntington Beach

is a model of up-to-date technology that has been widely tested and

extensively used with success.

Since my retirement from Boeing, where I developed guidance,

navigation and control systems for space vehicles, I have been

involved with the water quality programs at Bolsa Chica. I am a board

member of the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and

the Orange County ISA (Instrumentation, Systems and Automation)

Technical Society.

The Huntington Beach water treatment facility will provide many

benefits to our city. The first among these are planned emergency

water supplies and a gift of a water storage tank (valued at $14

million). These benefits alone would be invaluable, considering our

city uses 34 million gallons per day drinkable water and has, at

maximum, 40 million gallons of storage capacity (all the

information’s in the urban water management plan on the city’s

website.) But the emergency supply and storage benefits are not the

only ones we’ll see.

Huntington Beach will receive millions of dollars in tax revenues

annually ($1.8 million), the majority of which ($1.1 million) will go

into the southeast redevelopment agency. This area of our city could

use some sprucing up. To this end, improvements will be made to

Newland Street at Pacific Coast Highway to include road widening,

repaving, re-striping and landscaping.

Finally, the project itself will be attractive and low-profile.

Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography -- people who

have excellent reputations in their fields -- have conducted rigorous

research and found that the Huntington Beach water treatment facility

will not harm the ocean or our beaches. Other renowned researchers

from UC Irvine have peer-reviewed the original scientists’ work. Salt

levels at the outfall after water molecules are removed and salt

molecules are returned to the ocean are similar to those found in the

Bolsa Chica wetlands and lower than those found in Baja California.

I urge the City Council, at its upcoming vote, to approve the

conditional use permit for the Huntington Beach water treatment

facility. This is a project that makes sense for our city and is the

most environmentally friendly solution to our growing water shortage

problem.

ROBERT HARRISON

Huntington Beach

A recall of those against Poseidon

I would support a recall of any member or members of the

Huntington Beach City Council who do not approve the needed and

necessary Poseidon project. This city does has no need of the

representation provided by such short-sighted individuals. The choice

is clear -- support Poseidon or reward unfounded hysteria.

ROD RASMUSSEN

Huntington Beach

Plenty of reasons this isn’t Surf City

After lamenting about the dismal summer -- red tide providing a

brownish, uninviting sea, jellyfish, cold water, poor surf and a

cooler summer, last week’s editorial claimed that “Huntington Beach

is the real Surf City.” So, does that silly logo still apply? Doesn’t

sound like much of a draw to me.

After 35 years in Huntington Beach, I still contend that I do not

live in Surf City. However, the people in Santa Cruz probably do. If

the debate was put to bed, I think the aforementioned descriptions

may be fodder for more dialogue.

BARBARA SHEPARD

Huntington Beach