Candidate Q&A: Gail Morton for Marina Coast Water District.

As part of the 2022 election season, the Weekly asked candidates for several offices to answer questions about some of the issues by email. For the Marina Coast Water District board of directors, there are three seats up for election this year, with four candidates: incumbents Gail Morton and Jan Shriner, and challengers Brad Imamura and Roland Soltesz.

Both incumbents responded to the Weekly's questions; Imamura and Soltesz did not. Morton's responses are below.

What are the biggest issues facing Marina Coast Water District in the next four years, and why are you the best candidate to address them?

Defining the path to protect our source water while continuously providing reasonably priced water service is the biggest issue. Sustainable delivery of clean and affordable water is fundamental to quality of life for everyone. The right to water should not be threatened by shortsighted leaders and bad government decisions. Today, drought, seawater intrusion, and over-pumping pose grave problems for our water supply, and on the legal front, the battle against Cal Am’s invasion of our aquifer continues.

I provide strong, ethical and collaborative leadership, which is invaluable when managing water resources and developing supply solutions benefitting the entirety of the Monterey Peninsula.

How often do you currently attend MCWD board meetings? Do you think the current board is effective?

I serve on the board currently and attend all meetings.

Cal Am has resubmitted its application for a desalination plant in Marina. Would you be able or willing to help broker a dialogue between Cal Am and the city? Are there specific environmental justice concessions that you believe should be made?

Yes. The Cal Am application before the Coastal Commission was deemed complete by the Commission’s executive officer, but its letter to Cal Am clearly states there are a number of permitting and regulatory approvals still necessary. I believe MCWD and the city [of Marina] are aligned in their efforts to avoid harm above and below ground (water quality, affordability, suitability).

The current Cal Am project is the wrong size. Placement of the project at the Cemex site and sourcing from the 180-400 foot aquifer is the wrong place. The risk of harm to the basin and in particular to three of MCWD’s production wells currently delivering 57% of our water cannot be ignored. Any environmental justice concessions outweighing the project’s harm to source water are not readily apparent to me.

With the additional water provided by Pure Water Monterey and the expansion of Pure Water Monterey, we have adequate time to collaboratively and cooperatively find an alternative location and regional solution which will both protect the aquifer and give fair and equitable consideration to environmental justice.

Do you believe Marina Coast Water District’s current water supply is sustainable?

I hope so, and am certainly focused on ensuring it is. Actually implementing the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) to redress the unregulated, over drafting of our source water basin is necessary for sustainability. MCWD holds responsibility and accountability to manage and use groundwater without causing undesirable results, including significant and unreasonable depletion of supply, unreasonable seawater intrusion, or degradation of water quality.

MCWD’s GSP has been approved by the state and it’s time to put it into effect. A feasible work plan to meet sustainability goals requires management strategies and the development of a capital improvement program to enable MCWD to increase its water delivery from a current demand of 3,200 [acre-feet per year] to more than 8,000 [acre-feet per year], while protecting the aquifers.

MCWD directors will be making decisions influenced by the need and efficacy of proposed aquifer protection projects, their costs and funding sources. MCWD ratepayers are not to be unfairly burdened with project costs for basin-wide projects, given their use is less than 1% of the annual basin withdrawal. As yet, potential projects are not prioritized, and none are funded.

What should Marina Coast Water District do about its long-term water supply? Is desalination an option?

Optimize conservation and greater use of recycled and advanced recycled water. We are a partner with Monterey One Water and have invested in the infrastructure, including ownership of the transmission system for Pure Water Monterey and its expansion, securing our 1,427 AFY of recycled water for landscapes and public parks.

Optimize permits related to sourcing water from the Salinas River, in collaboration with other permitted agencies. Develop greater reliance on groundwater replenishment with addition of injection wells. Be alert to infrastructure and new technologies. Retrofit MCWD’s brackish desalting facility, which will add 300 AFY to MCWD’s water portfolio. Continue developing strong alliances with state and regional agencies for cooperation, collaboration and greater funding opportunities. Secure community buy-in for all projects significantly impacting water rates.

A publicly owned, appropriately sized regional desal project at the right location should be considered.

Do you believe Marina Coast Water District is sufficiently taking steps to protect the Salinas Valley groundwater basin from seawater intrusion, one of the goals in the district’s five-year strategic plan? How will you know if the district is succeeding at that goal?

Controlling demand in advance of additional adverse impacts is fundamental to protection of the aquifer, and MCWD is doing so. MCWD has actually reduced its pumping from the aquifer in recent years. Pumping demands for Central Marina and the entirety of the former Fort Ord footprint is less than 1% of total annual basin withdrawals. MCWD is doing its part to protect this shared resource.

Proof requires continuous monitoring of the impacts in the basin. If there is evidence of adverse impacts, including increased salinity, MCWD recognizes a reduction in pumping as a remedial action may be necessary.

Do you believe the MCWD Groundwater Sustainability Agency is effective? How is its relationship with the Salinas Valley Basin GSA?

Not yet. MCWD was required to develop a Groundwater Sustainable Plan by January 2022 and did so. The plan was co-developed with the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency pursuant to a negotiated Framework Agreement establishing management areas and integration of information. Effectiveness is not yet tested as none of the projects have even been prioritized for development or funded.

If elected, how will you be a water solutions leader for the region?

My experience, bold leadership, and legal skills make me well-suited for finding solutions. I provide strong, ethical and collaborative leadership, which is invaluable when managing water resources and developing supply solutions benefitting the entirety of the Monterey Peninsula. As a Councilmember for the city of Marina and a director of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority for eight years, I garnered a broad understanding of the demands for water, as well as the challenges to delivery.