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It's surprising that in 2021, people in one of the most industrialized countries in the world still rely on such transient things as snowpack, rain, and river f
by HenryKissinger 5y ago
It's surprising that in 2021, people in one of the most industrialized countries in the world still rely on such transient things as snowpack, rain, and river flow for water. Like our primitive ancestors thousands of years ago. Imagine if we still used sail ships (outside of amateur/recreational activities).
Desalination plants is the way of the future.
- qzw 5y agoDon’t we always go for the lowest hanging fruit first? Why would that be a surprise when it comes to water?
- triceratops 5y agoIs it any stranger than relying on sunlight for farming? It's the same thing, really.
- specialist 5y agoCisterns would be nice.
- beej71 5y agoDesal is coming, but we should know the scope of the undertaking. California's water usage could be met with about 2000 desal plants each producing about 20 million gallons per day [1]. (Which would be over 2 plants per mile of coastline.) Of course, it's not like all the rain has stopped immediately so they wouldn't have to go all in. But even going 10% in is going to be a heavy lift. Ag is a major water user, and I feel we could do a lot more work there to get equal yields for less water... It just costs more. [1] https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.desertsun.com/amp/14400333 https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.desertsun.com/amp/14400333
- Ericson2314 5y agoYeah I think we should aim for all non-agricultural water covered by desalination first. That should be relatively easily. Then we figure out what to do about the agriculture.