The only way desalination would work is to build a canal from the ocean to the Salton Sea, flood the Salton Sea, and then you can build huge desalination plants that can pump directly in to already existing aqueducts.
Would be expensive, hugely expensive, about 25% as expensive as the high speed rail system. But it solves two currently immediate water needs in Southern California, a reliable fresh water source, and the restoration of the Salton Sea.
Coastal property in California is too valuable and limited to be able to build desalination plants the size that they'd need to be. Only way it could work is to have them inland, and then near a distribution system able to handle the output.
A canal to the Salton Sea would solve "ALL" of Southern California's water needs at once!
And unlike what most believe, building water storage is not the answer, we have plenty of that already... which is useless when there is no water to fill them.
Phil
Phil,
You've just hit on 1 core piece of the problem. "Coastal property in California is too valuable to...".
I'm thinking the cost to flood the Salton Sea (or any other viable solution, for that matter) pales when you consider the alternative.
As you already stated, storage facilities aren't the problem. You have plenty, just no water to keep in them..
JMHO, but if you're weighing the difference between millions of Kalifornians doing without "necessary and required" water, and maintaining the beautiful upscale lifestyle of southern Kalifornia..
So.. Let's do some fuzzy math. Desalination development for perpetual clean water = 25% of the cost for high speed rail system. Hmmm.
OK, Let's review now. Water for survival.. 1/4 less high speed rail system? Water for survival.. 1/4 less high speed rail system?
Phuggin' hilarious.
Just sayin'.
