Monterey Peninsula Water News
Citizens for Public Water promotes public ownership of Monterey Peninsula desalination plant
Citizens for Public Water is urging Monterey Peninsula residents to contact their county supervisors and urge them to abide by existing law and require that any desalination plant serving the region be publicly owned.

Here are some public comments on the issue:

"Water is a basic human right. Water should be managed by a public entity whose mission is to provide safe and affordable water to all citizens rather than a private corporation whose mission is to increase profits for its shareholders."

~ Sue Hubbard, Salinas

"Supervisors need to be reminded that they were elected to represent the PEOPLE, NOT private corporations."

~ Larry Parrish, Carmel Valley

"Same song 'next verse' should be better, but now it's worse! Supes want to jeopardize control of our water! Shut out back room deals!"

~ Jan Mitchell, Prunedale Neighbors Group

"More than 85% of Americans get their water from public agencies; only 15% from the private sector. We are among the minority of ratepayers whose rates include profits for the shareholders of a multinational corporation? What's wrong with this picture?"

~ Stefani Mistretta, Seaside

"Since Public and future generations share an inalienable interest in the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, doesn't it seem patently obvious that precious Monterey Bay Waters and any proposed desalination project remain in Public Ownership and not bartered away as a corporate commodity by a few bureaucrats behind closed doors?"

~ Roderic McMahan, Cachagua

"Issues that affect residents of Monterey County should be brought to public discussion."

~ Nancy Oliver, representative of VENA (Vista Drive/Echo Valley Neighbors Association)

"Cal-Am has PUC approval to add to our rates the cost of building a desal plant. We will pay for the plant, but it will belong to Cal-Am. If the public ever wants to buy out the water company, we will have to pay for the plant again. It's grossly unfair."

~ Joyce and Jud Vandevere, Monterey

"If the corporation succeeds in making water a commodity, water will be sold to the highest bidder. Only the highest bidder will have water."

~ John Fasolas, Felton

"For cost reasons alone, the county should not change its ordinance requiring public ownership of a desalination plant. Just look at the difference in desalination costs between privately-owned Cal Am and publicly-owned Pajaro-Sunny Mesa."

~ Ron Weitzman, Carmel

"If the Supervisors are supposed to be stewards of the public trust, SHOW ME!"

~ Sandee Scott, Monterey

"Water is a public asset and is part of the public trust. As such water issues must always be discussed in public, with public access to records and public participation. Public agencies are in the position of stewardship and must take this responsibility seriously. Any attempt to limit public input is a violation of our public trust and their accountability."

~ Judi Lehman, Monterey

"Extending corporate monopoly over water is wrong. It is scandalous without extensive public discussion."

~ Darby Moss Worth, Carmel

"Our ocean, our rivers, our lakes are a heritage to care for, to nurture, and to use for the common good of our citizens, not for the profit of investors in the New York Stock Exchange."

~ Manuel G. Fierro, Monterey

"Access to water is the right of everything on earth that needs it for living. The implications of the ongoing transfer of control over this precious world resource into private hands, which is a contradiction by definition, are ominous beyond measure."

~ Lydia Hunt

"When will the Monterey County Board of Supervisors learn to operate on democratic principles and avoid costly lawsuits and elections to overturn its hastily-made decisions?"

~ John Canister, Carmel

"Stop the trend of corporate take over of Water. It is our water. Keep it with local control in our community."

~ Sylvia Shih, Salinas

"Water, like the air we breathe, should be clean, plentiful and controlled by the public, not private companies, or corporations."

~ Frank Ludovina, Carmel

Photo of Carmel River in Monterey FLOW Coalition masthead is courtesy of Paola Berthoin. Cal-Am has repeatedly been cited for overpumping the Carmel River.