Oct 3 2012
CalDesal, California’s non-profit organization dedicated to desalination and salinity management as a solution to California’s water supply challenges, recently announced that it will hold two meetings in California to focus on desalination.
The organization seeks to build a foundation toward a sustainable desalination policy within the state. Topics presented will include desalination’s role in a balanced water supply portfolio, desalination science, implementation challenges, policy influences and permitting.
Ocean desalination is now a widely accepted and important option available as a water resource for clean, safe, reliable drinking water” indicated Shawn Dewane, Chair of the CalDesal Executive Committee, “”There has never been a time more important to focus on locally produced desalinated water as a means to increase water security. Public health and welfare depends upon solutions and we are gathering the top experts the field to discuss desalination as a component of a well rounded water system and tool to meet the needs of California.”
The agenda for the meetings will feature prominent speakers and moderators from agencies such as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the California Coastal Commission, the State Lands Commission and the Water Resources Control Boards within California. Mark Cowin, California Department of Water Resources, Bill Kocher, Director, Santa Cruz Water Department, Paul Shoenberger, Mesa Water District, Ron Davis, Executive Director of CalDesal and many consulting experts on desalination will also share their knowledge. Experts include Joe Monaco from Dudek, Paul Findley from RBF Consulting, a company of Michael Baker Corporation and Gary Crisp of GHD. Dave Smith, Water Reuse, Richard Nagel, West Basin Municipal Water District and Catherine Kuhlman, Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Matters, Natural Resources agency will be panelists, among other experts.
In Sacramento, the Keynote speaker will be Christopher Glasson, Global Water Intelligence with Fran Spivy-Weber, Board, Vice-Chair, State Water Resources Control Board and Hasan Abdullah, East Bay Municipal Utility District on panels. In Irvine, Phil Lauri from Mesa Water District, Bill Paznokas, California Department of Fish and Game, Tam Doduc, State Water Resources Control Board and Ken Weinberg, San Diego County Water Authority will serve as expert panelists.
Executive Committee member of CalDesal, Shawn Dewane, Chair will open and close the meetings to be held on October 25 and 26 in Sacramento, and on October 29 and 30 in Irvine. Registration is currently open for both events through www.caldesal.org with early registration through October 1 and additional registration and group hotel rates available for the meetings.