In December 2015, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that California American Water (CalAm) had chosen three firms to build a pipeline of about 30 km with pump stations and storage. Mountain Cascade, Garney Pacific and Monterey Peninsula Engineering prevailed among six bidders, with contracts worth about US$92 million. CalAm's Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project was meant to replace the Carmel River as main source. Options were a 40,000 m³/day desalination plant or a 25,000 m³/day plant plus 13,000 m³/day of recycled water from Pure Water Monterey.
The report showed that seawater desalination and water reuse were being planned side by side on the Californian coast at the time and compared as alternatives on cost.