The South Coast Water District’s Doheny Ocean Desalination Project was unanimously approved by the California Coastal Commission on October 13.

Estimated to cost $140 million, the Desalination Project (pdf link to fact sheet) is expected to produce up to 5 million gallons per day of drinking water for the District’s customers in Orange County.  South Coast Water District provides potable water, recycled water, and wastewater services to approximately 35,000 residents, 1,000 businesses, and 2 million visitors per year in south Orange County.  Its service area includes the communities of Dana Point, South Laguna Beach, and areas of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.

The District’s press release states that 18 years of planning has gone into the Doheny Ocean Desalination Project.

The Project will use slant wells running from Doheny State Beach that will pull water from beneath the ocean floor.  From there, water will be piped to the desalination facility inland of the Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point.  The Project’s posted construction schedule anticipates that the desalination project will be online in 2027.

Image Source: Doheny Ocean Desalination Project web page.