While desalination can produce freshwater, it also generates brine, a highly concentrated salt water mixture that is then pumped back into the ocean. and they don't separate the sea-salt out and sell it because?
that stuff is expensive
Larry Elder seemed to think so on the Bongino show today.
Does California really want water or would they rather flush it into the sea?
Nuclear powered desalination.
I think the key here is only run these plants when needed, otherwise turn them off.
The dams/reservoirs are finally being repaired/retrofitted after decades of kicking the can down the street. As such, a lot of water is/was allowed to flow down the rivers, into the bays, and out to the Pacific Ocean. They also haven’t built new water storage in a long time. They also have allowed millions of illegals into the state to further stress resources. Desalination would probably be a small blip for the entire state. So. California would just rather steal it from No. California and Arizona.
If they lost the paranoia and used nuclear energy to produce electricity and desalinate, California would have fewer problems. Have no sympathy when lunatics are allowed by the voters to take power.
The last thing in the world this State needs is an abundant Supply of cheap, clean drinking water. It can only lead to the yearning for more Freedom and Liberty for the peasants.
Desalination by distillation takes heat. Plenty of heat available from a nuclear reactor, particularly a thorium-fueled molten salt reactor, which can be built to generate plentiful electricity relatively close in to an urban area.
Get over this stupid superstition about all things nuclear, and recognize that California NEEDS an enormous supply of electricity, and that the desalination of sea water is merely a by-product that is almost equally as valuable as the electricity itself. Thorium-fueled molten salt reactors are both inherently MUCH safer than the older design uranium-fueled light-water reactors, and can be scaled up or down, depending on local need.
Maybe I’m completely off in terms of volume and practicality, but if the process results in piles of salt, and if dumping piles of salt directly into the ocean is bad, could they consider dumping it into Death Valley? I’m pretty sure it won’t wipe out any major species there.
Please!!! CA was emptying it’s dams for months now. Clean water out to the sea. CA WANTS a draught. Then they have control. https://californiaglobe.com/fl/ca-reservoirs-filled-to-top-in-2019-being-drained-by-state/#:~:text=Facing%20Dry%20Year%2C%20CA%20State%20Water%20Board%20is%20Draining%20California%20Reservoirs,-CA%20reservoirs%20were&text=%E2%80%9CIn%20the%20last%2014%20days,water%20for%201%20million%20people.&text=Our%20reservoirs%20were%20designed%20to,the%20top%20in%20June%202019.%E2%80%9D
Build some big nuke plants to power the water plants. Easy Peasy Japanesey.
While desalination can produce freshwater, it also generates brine, a highly concentrated salt water mixture that is then pumped back into the ocean. and they don't separate the sea-salt out and sell it because?
that stuff is expensive
I will tell you what aint is a high speed rail from north to south
“it has significant energy and greenhouse gas impacts”
not if you tie new desalinization plants with new small safe efficient modular nuclear power also.
As far as “expense” goes California has to weigh the expense across the California economy of periodic droughts that produce unsustainable demands on water California neither has right now nor receives.
Aruba gets all their water needs from desalination. They claim to have the best water in the world.
Efficient desalination requires the stage wise heating of seawater under vacuum and huge amounts of brine return to the ocean. The heat should be generated by the burning of LNG produced in Texas.
Unless you Commufornians want to heat the seawater electrically (utterly foolish)
Get on your knees and ask Biden for approval of an LNG pipeline from Texas to CA over the continental divide. Take a peek at Jubail (Saudi) where a huge desalination plant is located. Expect Fresh water concrete pipelines of 6 feet diameter and more. But think of the many good jobs you will create in either state on a long-term basis.
The California Coastal Commission is a failed company full of failures who hate water, hate families and hate the Supreme Judge. Oh, and there is enough water in California for seven billion people.
Efficient desalination requires the stage wise heating of seawater under vacuum and huge amounts of brine return to the ocean. The heat should be generated by the burning of LNG produced in Texas.
Unless you Commufornians want to heat the seawater electrically (utterly foolish)
Get on your knees and ask Biden for approval of an LNG pipeline from Texas to CA over the continental divide. Take a peek at Jubail (Saudi) where a huge desalination plant is located. Expect Fresh water concrete pipelines of 6 feet diameter and more. But think of the many good jobs you will create in either state on a long-term basis. Good jobs = taxes = return on investment.
“But environmentalists have concerns.”
Gee, what a surprise. Cut their water supply first.
Maybe thats the answer to the “rising seas” that they are talking about and how it going to kill everyone who lives around the coasts.
But they wont do it because it might kill some sort of algae or something.
“It’s the most expensive option”.
No it’s not. Not by far. The most expensive options are the loss of life, and the loss of the economy, and the loss of community due to failure to allow people to obtain basic human necessities.
Death by red tape.