3 ms·
You guys sit next to an ocean full of water. And you have a critical mass of the smartest people on the planet. Get crackin'.
by swamp40 12y ago
You guys sit next to an ocean full of water.
And you have a critical mass of the smartest people on the planet.
Get crackin'.
- ars 12y agoAnd lots of heat too. Use some solar thermal collectors for energy (not solar electricity, use the heat to directly run a pump), and desalinate some water.
- sfeng 12y agoThat would cost money.
- BurningFrog 12y agoSmart people already know that that is not an economical way to get water. Besides, the problem is more regulatory than physical.
- sfeng 12y agoThe economics change when the water runs out. California almonds might get a whole lot more expensive in a year.
- BurningFrog 12y agoPart of me hopes that will happen. I doubt the California regulatory system will change unless the system hits rock bottom.
- druiid 12y agoWe already have one nearly finished in San Diego. The problem is that is makes for very expensive water because it's a large scale industrial desal plant and the technology still hasn't changed in such a way as to not require lots of energy. That said, it's still at least going to provide a huge amount of water with just the one plant so there is that.
- mey 12y agoPersonally I'm waiting for someone to stick a nuclear reactor far off shore, use it for both power generation and desalination at the same time and ship fresh water back to the mainland on barges.
- bduerst 12y agoI wonder if a nuclear reactor would qualify as falling under the "Economic Exclusive Zone" (between 12-200 miles out from shore)? Maintenance would be expensive on the floor. Why not put the reactor at the end of a string of barges?
- mey 12y agoI would expect something like one of the advanced oil rigs that uses cables, ballast and computer systems to establish a stable platform at sea.
- swamp40 12y agoYes, or throw it into the air and let the prevailing winds take it over as rainclouds.
- im2w1l 12y agoHow much of municipal water needs to be fresh water? Like if you showered with salt water, bathed in salt water, flushed your toilet with salt water etc. Then you wouldn't need to desalinate so much. So maybe, tap salt water could be viable for apartments. Then you'd have to have some domestic desalinator for those few liter's per day you actually drink. Well or buy bottled water. Now that I think of it: Maybe you could make the hot water salt, and the cold water fresh. You aren't supposed to drink hot water anyway since it contains more dissolved nasties. And you wouldn't water your lawn with hot water because that would be like super wasteful. Although I can see how hot salt water could be somewhat corrosive so maybe you'd need to switch up the plumbing at a huge cost.
- rpenm 12y agoAdding a separate salt water supply infrastructure would be expensive. Salt water is also quite corrosive; pipes, fittings and fixtures would have to be designed/tested for such use. Besides, having my clothes, dishes and body perpetually crusted in salt is not appealing. You'd be better off subsidizing grey water systems. Or better yet, focusing on larger scale inefficiencies in agriculture. Or push for market-pricing so individuals/businesses have incentive to pursue efficiencies.
- mcbutterbunz 12y agoNow you're talking about a massive infrastructure change. New pipes all over the city (one fresh, one not) and have to retrofit my house to connect to these new lines.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]