Environmental stewardship is a central corporate value for Poseidon. We use business practices and structure water projects to promote environmental sustainability. Our approach focuses on efficient use of natural resources –protection of water quality – enhanced water supply reliability – and careful pollution prevention. Across our entire suite of project activities, at Poseidon we strive to work with customers, community partners and other stakeholders to protect water resources and to assure more sustainable supplies for our planet’s future
Poseidon’s Carlsbad, California project has been hailed as one of the most technologically advanced, energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive desalination facilities in the world:
- Forbes Magazine named Poseidon one of the United States’ top 100 companies that are “Going Green” after Poseidon announced that the Carlsbad Plant would be the very first major infrastructure project in the state to voluntarily eliminate its carbon footprint and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
- Global Water Intelligence Magazine took note of Poseidon’s environmental commitment in selecting the Carlsbad Plant as its 2016 “Desalination Plant of the Year.”
- “The successful completion of the largest desalination plant in North America,” GWI noted, “followed years of seemingly insurmountable technical, financial and legal hurdles. The tenacity shown by the developer team is matched only by the importance of seawater desalination as a key part of the solution to California’s water crisis. A canny combination of state-of-the art energy recovery technology with an external energy offsetting programme makes Carlsbad the first major infrastructure project in the state of California to completely neutralize its carbon footprint.”
- The project gained praise for Poseidon’s partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create, restore and enhance 66 acres of vulnerable local wetland within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge as part of the project scope.
Environmental FAQs
Responsible development of a seawater desalination facility requires careful consideration of a broad range of environmental impacts. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding desalination and the environment.
Are there byproducts of the reverse osmosis (RO) process?
The primary byproduct of the RO process is concentrated seawater. This concentrate, or brine, is returned to the ocean in a manner that adheres to the most stringent regulations for environmental protection. Any additives to the treatment process that have the potential to adversely affect the environment are collected, treated and disposed of in accordance with best management practices.
Are desalination facilities noisy?
No. High-speed electrical pumps are the only source of noise at a RO desalination plant. These pumps are enclosed in buildings and acoustically shielded by a sound-proof screen wall to meet or exceed all local noise ordinances.
Do desalination facilities produce any odor?
No. There are no air emissions associated with the desalination process, and plant flows are contained within piping and sealed vessels. Potential sources of odor are eliminated by design.
What impact does the desalination process have on marine life?
When carefully sited, with well-designed intake and outfall structures, desalination plants have minimal impacts on marine species. While these local effects cannot be entirely eliminated, properly-sited facilities have impacts that are statistically insignificant and well within the range of normal population fluctuations.
Does desalination cause broader impacts beyond the immediate marine environment?
Looked at more broadly, there are dramatic net environmental benefits to be gained from using abundant local seawater in place of finite freshwater sources that are transported great distances away from their natural watershed to meet municipal and industrial water supply needs. Climate change and decades of overuse are bringing greater awareness of the need to restore flows in stressed inland waterways to support aquatic species and riparian environments. Use of locally-sourced seawater to meet the water supply needs of coastal populations relieves pressure on these inland water sources – benefiting all forms of life, whether aquatic, riparian, or the human communities that depend on them.
Does the desalination process emit greenhouse gases?
No, the SWRO desalination process does not directly cause any greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The process does, though, require consumption of electricity generated in part from fossil fuels that results in GHG emissions. To address this concern, Poseidon has taken several steps – including the use of on-site renewable energy, on-site energy recovery devices, reforestation, power contracting and the purchase of carbon offsets – to completely neutralize the carbon footprint of its SWRO plant operations in at both its Carlsbad and Huntington Beach facilities.
Are there byproducts of the reverse osmosis (RO) process?
The primary byproduct of the RO process is concentrated seawater. This concentrate, or brine, is returned to the ocean in a manner that adheres to the most stringent regulations for environmental protection. Any additives to the treatment process that have the potential to adversely affect the environment are collected, treated and disposed of in accordance with best management practices.
Are desalination facilities noisy?
No. High-speed electrical pumps are the only source of noise at a RO desalination plant. These pumps are enclosed in buildings and acoustically shielded by a sound-proof screen wall to meet or exceed all local noise ordinances.
Do desalination facilities produce any odor?
No. There are no air emissions associated with the desalination process, and plant flows are contained within piping and sealed vessels. Potential sources of odor are eliminated by design.
What impact does the desalination process have on marine life?
When carefully sited, with well-designed intake and outfall structures, desalination plants have minimal impacts on marine species. While these local effects cannot be entirely eliminated, properly-sited facilities have impacts that are statistically insignificant and well within the range of normal population fluctuations.
Does desalination cause broader impacts beyond the immediate marine environment?
Looked at more broadly, there are dramatic net environmental benefits to be gained from using abundant local seawater in place of finite freshwater sources that are transported great distances away from their natural watershed to meet municipal and industrial water supply needs. Climate change and decades of overuse are bringing greater awareness of the need to restore flows in stressed inland waterways to support aquatic species and riparian environments. Use of locally-sourced seawater to meet the water supply needs of coastal populations relieves pressure on these inland water sources – benefiting all forms of life, whether aquatic, riparian, or the human communities that depend on them.
Does the desalination process emit greenhouse gases?
No, the SWRO desalination process does not directly cause any greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The process does, though, require consumption of electricity generated in part from fossil fuels that results in GHG emissions. To address this concern, Poseidon has taken several steps – including the use of on-site renewable energy, on-site energy recovery devices, reforestation, power contracting and the purchase of carbon offsets – to completely neutralize the carbon footprint of its SWRO plant operations in at both its Carlsbad and Huntington Beach facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
From technological process to final product water quality, we get a lot of great questions. Read our FAQs.