Lafayette, Calif., Nov. 5, 2015.
The California Grand Jurors’ Association has granted the Robert Geiss
Excellence in Reporting Award for 2015 to the 2013-14 Santa Cruz County Grand
Jury for its report, “Desalination and Alternatives: Water for a Thirsty County.”
The award was presented on November 2 at the association’s 34th annual
conference held in Lafayette, California. Nell Griscom, foreperson of the 2013-14
Santa Cruz County Grand Jury, was at the conference to accept the Award.
Nell Griscom on the right, with Association Awards Committee Chair Barbara Sommer
The Grand Jury examined the issues facing both the City of Santa Cruz
Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District as they attempted to manage
their local water supply problems. Much of Santa Cruz County receives its
drinking water from underground aquifers. Wells pump water from the aquifers to
be treated and sent to homes and businesses. Many of the aquifers in the
coastal areas are already contaminated or in danger of contamination due to
saltwater intrusion caused by over-pumping. One way to protect the aquifers is
to develop a regional plan to halt the intrusion where it has already occurred
and to protect those aquifers yet to be tainted.
The City of Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District
entered into a plan to do this through the construction of a regional seawater
desalination plant. However, due to strong and vocal opposition from a number
of residents, the Santa Cruz City Council put a halt to the project a year
before a scheduled public vote.
The Grand Jury reviewed the plans for the regional desalination project
as well as other alternatives being considered. Jurors conducted extensive
research and spoke with multiple water agencies, experts and local opposition
groups. The subsequent report discusses each of the options currently available
and makes the technical details easily accessible to lay readers. The color
maps make the report more readable and aid the reader in understanding the
complex matters discussed. In the report, the Grand Jury recommends that both
agencies secure a supplemental water supply and that the City of Santa Cruz
strongly consider reviving the regional seawater desalination plant.
The California Grand Jurors’ Association is a statewide nonprofit
organization of current and former grand jurors throughout the state. The
association’s mission is “to promote, preserve and support the grand jury
system through training, education and outreach.”
The Robert Geiss Excellence in Reporting Award recognizes a grand jury
report that is of high quality and has a positive impact on the community, as
well as increasing awareness of the California grand jury system.
November 5, 2015
California
Grand Jurors’ Association
Press Release.
Contact Jim Ragan, Public Relations Director (805) 927-2723,
jimragan@charter.net
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