Santa Barbara Ca Public Works

After reviewing dozens of proposals for providing the city with emergency water supplies, the Santa Barbara City Council has decided on desalination to cope with the drought. The city will begin negotiating with a Massachusetts company that has proposed building the nation's largest seawater desalination plant in Santa Barbara, a facility expected to provide about 5,000 acre-feet of water a year, about one-third of the city's normal demand. If the contract with Ionics Inc.

Only a year ago, residents here painted their grass green, passed up showers and complained to city leaders for having allowed water supplies to become critically low. In response, those officials this Friday will crank up the largest and costliest municipal seawater desalination plant outside the Middle East and begin wringing fresh water from the sea.

Only a year ago, residents here painted their grass green, passed up showers and complained to city leaders for having allowed water supplies to become critically low. In response, those officials this Friday will crank up the largest and costliest municipal seawater desalination plant outside the Middle East and begin wringing fresh water from the sea.

After reviewing dozens of proposals for providing the city with emergency water supplies, the Santa Barbara City Council has decided on desalination to cope with the drought. The city will begin negotiating with a Massachusetts company that has proposed building the nation's largest seawater desalination plant in Santa Barbara, a facility expected to provide about 5,000 acre-feet of water a year, about one-third of the city's normal demand. If the contract with Ionics Inc.