Huntington Beach Postpones Vote on Desalination Plant

The Huntington Beach City Council on Monday voted to postpone until Nov. 21 a decision on whether to allow construction of a private desalination plant that would be the largest of its kind in the nation.

The facility, to be located next to the AES power station on Pacific Coast Highway, would produce up to 50 million gallons of drinking water from seawater each day.

In postponing the decision, council members said they wanted more detailed information -- from city staff and from Poseidon Resources, which would build the $250-million plant -- on the project's potential economic effects.