Avalon residents and visitors use roughly 400 acre feet of water annually (Approximately 130,000,000 gallons per year). The used water is a combination of both fresh water used in town and is derived via Southern California Edison from the alluvial wells connected to Thompson reservoir and saltwater via our saltwater toilet system. Used water is piped to the wastewater treatment facility near the Edison power plant and is processed to a degree where it is considered clean enough to pump out into the ocean along Pebbly Beach. In essence, Catalina throws away roughly 400 acre feet of water annually, a significant portion of which could instead be recycled and reused many times over for use in watering plants, rinsing off property and sidewalks, washing cars and flushing toilets.
MAP & PHOTOS (SCE)
Thompson Reservoir Thompson (Middle Ranch) Reservoir: The East End’s main source of fresh water comes from the Thompson Reservoir. It has capacity of about 1,149 acre feet (1 acre feet=325,851 gallons). Fresh ground water is drawn from the aquifer connected to the reservoir using three groundwater wells in Middle Ranch and sent to Pump Station 2. The water is aerated and chlorinated and then pumped to Wrigley Reservoir and the Baker Tanks for distribution to the city of Avalon and the rest of the island’s East End.
Desalination Plant Desalination Plant: Ocean water is pumped through sea water wells to the desalination plant, located at the Pebbly Beach Generating Station in Avalon. The desalination plant uses the reverse osmosis process to make the water fit for drinking. This water is used to augment the fresh water supply for the town. When operational, the plant’s maximum daily output is about 200,000 gallons. Water for the island’s West End is provided by ground water wells located at Cottonwood, Sweetwater and Howlands Landing.
(SCE, The Catalina Islander, 12/19/2014))
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