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<br />7A - ATTACHMENT NO.3 <br />Saltworks Proposal- Water Group Summary Report (22 January 2010) Page 3 <br /> <br />source. Because the Saltworks project may need to rely on a range of water supply <br />options, the viability of groundwater as a supply source at the site was evaluated. The <br />water team concludes that insufficient information is available to confirm the feasibility of <br />obtaining 700 AFY at the site. OMB indicated that reverse osmosis would be needed to <br />treat groundwater, and the water team concurs that treatment of this type would likely be <br />needed. Substantial additional study would be needed to establish the reliable <br />groundwater yield and impacts of groundwater pumping. <br /> <br />· Rainwater and graywater - While the project may develop and use these supply <br />sources, they cannot be counted on as reliable supply for purposes of meeting project <br />demand due to their lack of reliability as predictable and sustainable supply sources. <br /> <br />· Local and regional offsets -Implementing offset projects either within the City or SFPUC <br />service areas has the potential to realize significant, reliable long-term potable water <br />supply. Numerous factors would have to be defined and resolved to realize this supply, <br />including enlisting cooperating partners, carrying out agreements with individuals and <br />agencies including in some cases the SFPUC, and permitting and CEQA compliance. <br /> <br />· OMB surface water transfer - The OMB proposes to utilize a transfer of Nickel Family <br />water for the Saltworks project. This proposal was not included in the OMB application <br />materials to the City. OMB provided information about the proposal to the water team <br />later than other materials. Nickel water appears to be quite reliable. The amount of <br />Nickel water owned by OMB (8,393 AFY) is greater than the estimated potable demand <br />of the Saltworks project (1,825 AFY). OMB owns the Nickel water for 70 years. The <br />proposal requires participation and approval of other public agencies. The proposal also <br />requires further details regarding infrastructure requirements necessary to facilitate the <br />transfer. These details depend in part on the identity of the other participating agencies. <br />The proposal is complex, is likely to be controversial, and faces a number of hurdles. In <br />particular, the participation and approval of other public agencies cannot be assured. <br />Nonetheless, the proposal appears to be potentially feasible. The water team regards <br />Nickel water as an asset that would diversify the City's water supply portfolio. <br /> <br />The analysis was conducted to a depth and level of detail considered by the authors sufficient to <br />evaluate project feasibility, policy issues, and project implementation uncertainties that would be <br />evident from the information available at this preliminary point in the project development <br />process and within the scope of this water demand and supply analysis. Information from the <br />City's public record on the project and other sources was obtained and reviewed. Clarification <br />was sought from sources through meetings, telephone calls and correspondence. This <br />information was then evaluated by one or more report authors using methods appropriate for <br />each area of analysis. <br /> <br />Policy issues and implementation uncertainties identified herein represent those identified by <br />the authors in the course of their analyses. Should the City and OMB choose to proceed with a <br />complete environmental review (Le., preparation of an environmental impact report), <br />identification and evaluation of additional policy and implementation issues would be expected. <br />Likewise, the apparent feasibility based on this analysis does not assure project implementation <br />even if the City were to grant all necessary approvals. Numerous other public agencies have <br />discretionary permitting authority over the project and one or more such agencies could deny an <br />approval such that the project could not be constructed as proposed. The report authors do not <br />purport to predict or assure any particular outcome of future permitting processes. <br /> <br />ES-2 <br />