Monterey Peninsula Water Management District says there is enough water for new housing development

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) - The City of Monterey says they are worried there won't be enough water by the time over 36 hundred housing units are expected to be developed across the city.

The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District says thanks to the expansion of a project, there will be more than enough waterways before the housing is developed.

A lack of affordable housing is a common occurrence in the Peninsula.

"I think we always need affordable housing I mean that's a big problem in California," says Ernest Rhoads who commutes to Monterey from Santa Cruz

The state is now requiring Monterey to build over 36 hundred units.

The city says they have hit the ground running with the project but fear there won't be enough water for all of the units.

"We need enough water for those 3,654 units to comply with the state," says Kimberly Cole the Development Director

No water means no living.

"We are going to need the cease and desist order lifted so we can set a new water and we need water for new construction," says Cole.

I spoke to David Stoldt, the general manager of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District who says, "8000 housing units could be accommodated by the expansion of the Pure Water Monterey."

He says this is all thanks to the expansion of the Pure Water Monterey Project.

"That expansion will bring another 2,020 200 acre-feet and acre-foot as a football field covered in a foot of water, and that additional incremental water will be sufficient to meet the housing needs of the Monterey Peninsula," says Stoldt.

He says that much water is expected to be available in about two years.

Stoldt says they do plan on working to lift the cease and desist orders for the new meters.

The new housing developments are planned to be built in about 15 locations across Monterey.