Starting Monday, October 20, a 270-foot barge named the Ocean Provider will anchor just east of Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara as part of a major project to stabilize and reinforce the offshore intake pump platforms supporting the Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant.
Crews will use the barge as a floating base, transporting equipment, staff, and materials half a mile offshore to strengthen the platforms with protective rock and improve their resilience against storms and shifting tides.
One platform, currently suspended about 18 inches above the ocean floor, requires urgent upgrades to ensure long-term stability and prevent damage. These platforms, first built in 1991 and updated in 2016, are critical to Santa Barbara’s water supply. Construction will take place daily from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., including weekends, and will continue through late November.
