Monterey One Water phase 2 ribbon cutting highlighted as step toward replenishing overdrawn aquifer

City officials reported attending a ribbon cutting for phase 2 of Monterey One Water, a regional water-reclamation facility. A city speaker described the facility’s processes — including reverse osmosis and ultraviolet treatment — and said the project pumps treated water back into the ground to help push saltwater intrusion out of the seaside aquifer.

“The ribbon cutting for phase 2 of that project which significantly increased the capacity for its production of water,” a city official said. Another speaker described the event as “the beginning of the end of the cease and desist order, which prevents people from putting new water meters at their site and... development in general,” and called the ceremony “a big step.” Those remarks were presented as commentary by meeting officials; the transcript does not include a later formal legal determination about the cease and desist order.

Meeting remarks made a point of local wastewater routing: Carmel-by-the-Sea’s wastewater does not go to Monterey One Water. Instead, Carmel’s wastewater is handled by the Carmel Area Wastewater District and, according to the meeting, treated effluent is sent to Pebble Beach for use on play fields and golf courses.

Speakers encouraged residents to visit Monterey One Water for tours; the facility’s technologies were described broadly in the meeting as including reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection. No contract awards, regulatory actions, or formal city votes on water policy were recorded in the meeting transcript.