Mailbag: Desalinated water is necessary part of solution

In the early 1970s, Henry Segerstrom, founder of South Coast Plaza and Orange County’s premier performing arts centers, served on the Orange County Water District’s Board of Directors and testified before Congress to demonstrate the necessity of refilling our groundwater basin through water recycling and desalination.

Since that time, Orange County’s population has doubled from 1.5 million in 1972 to 3 million today. With our current water supply challenges and growing population, the need for desalination is greater than ever.

A recent survey conducted by the Mesa Water District showed that 70% of respondents approve of an $89 annual rate increase to support the proposed Huntington Beach desalination plant. This project would provide drinking water, seawater barrier injection wells and the recharge of the Orange County groundwater basin.

The Orange County Water District has been recharging the groundwater basin with imported supplies since the 1940s. In the 1970s, OCWD began recharging the basin with reclaimed water from the sanitary district.

Today, 100 million gallons of recycled water are produced for recharge every day. However, groundwater recharge could be greatly increased by desalinated ocean water that the Huntington Beach plant would supply.

We have sound, practical solutions to our current water supply challenges. Adding desalinated ocean water to the county’s water supply portfolio is timely and would provide a safe, local and reliable drinking water supply.

Shawn Dewane

The writer is president of the Mesa Water District.

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Blame media for Planned Parenthood’s bad press

It should be called Planned Responsible Parenthood.

Retired Judge Lynne Riddle wrote on Aug. 2 about all the excellent services provided by Planned Parenthood for women’s well being. The press is responsible for giving the organization a bad rap through sensational headlines and erroneous information. The Catholic Church leaves ignorant young women alone to propagate irresponsibly like rabbits because contraceptives are a no-no.

Annabelle Elliott Williams

Newport Beach