Desalination plant arrives in Fort Bragg, ushering in new era of water management

FORT BRAGG 10/6/21 — High tides are here, but Fort Bragg doesn’t have to worry about them making the water from the Noyo River undrinkable anymore. Last week, the city received a new desalination system that will allow it to keep pumping drinking water from the river when tides are high and the streamflow is low. The city doesn’t have to rush to get the system up and running thanks to much-needed rain invigorating the streamflow, but it’s expected to be an integral part of managing water for the city moving forward. The city has a reception planned for this Friday, October 8.

San Diego-based water treatment company Aqua Clear delivered the $335,000 reverse osmosis desalination system to the Fort Bragg water plant on Sept. 23. The system is expected to help the city survive extreme drought conditions that have left the Noyo River, one of its three primary drinking water sources, susceptible to water quality issues during high tide events. High tides lead to saltwater intrusion in the Noyo River all the way up to the city’s water intake pumps whenever the streamflow falls below 1.5 cubic feet per seconds (CFS).