CARLSBAD -- After months of going off on their own, Carlsbad and the San Diego County Water Authority are re-establishing contact.

City representatives and Water Authority leaders met privately Monday for the first time in months to discuss a desalination plant proposed next to the Encina Power Station, Carlsbad Administrative Services Director James Elliott told the City Council on Tuesday night.

"I think we're on the road to continuing our conversations with the county Water Authority in a positive vein," he said.

The desalination plant, which would turn roughly 50 million gallons of seawater a day into drinking water, was previously proposed as a countywide water project run by the Water Authority, which serves 23 cities and water agencies in San Diego County, including Carlsbad.

The Water Authority broke off talks with Connecticut-based project developer Poseidon Inc. in January following a dispute about documents needed for an Environmental Impact Report.

Poseidon now plans to build a privately owned plant that would supply water to Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista and San Marcos. The environmental effects of this proposal are being reviewed by the city of Carlsbad.

To make the $270 million construction project cost-effective, the city and Poseidon are seeking a water subsidy -- $250 per acre-foot -- from Southern California's main water supplier, the Metropolitan Water District. The district is offering the subsidy to encourage new sources of drinking water in the region.

Last month, Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis, who sits on the Water Authority's board, asked fellow Water Authority board members to support his city's request for the subsidy. They told the mayor that they wouldn't support his request because they wanted the subsidy for their agency, which is pursuing other desalination projects in addition to the Carlsbad plant.

However, Monday's meeting was cordial, Elliot said. The two groups did not discuss details about the project or agree to anything other than to meet again, he said.

Elliot added that the second meeting should take place before the end of the month.

"It looks to us like it's a good time to start the conversation," he said.

Carlsbad held a public meeting last week to kick off work on its Environmental Impact Report on the project. That report is expected to be completed in the fall.

Contact staff writer Barbara Henry at (760) 901-4072 or bhenry@nctimes.com.