After Nixing 50-Million-Gallon-A-Day Desalination Plant, California Demands Residents Use Less Water

California residents were slapped with tighter water restrictions Tuesday two weeks after state officials spiked plans for a $1.4 billion saltwater desalination plant in Orange County amid a season of historic drought.

The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously voted to implement a statewide watering ban for ornamental lawns at businesses and commercial properties as residents brace for a prolonged drought, the driest drought of its length in 1,200 years. Local government will also be required to reduce water use by up to 20 percent.

“California is facing a drought crisis and every local water agency and Californian needs to step up on conservation efforts,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a press release upon adoption of the new restrictions. “These conservation measures are increasingly important as we enter the summer months. I’m asking all Californians to step up, because every single drop counts.”

The latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor updated Thursday shows the entire state under drought conditions. Reservoirs meanwhile remain depleted while snowpack is only at 8 percent of normal levels by this point in the year, according to state data.

Despite the dire drought conditions also placing an increasingly unreliable power grid in jeopardy of periodic blackouts, the California Coastal Commission rejected the latest proposal from a major water developer to construct a desalination plant in Huntington Beach. If built, the company behind the project, Poseidon Water, says the plant would make 50 million gallons of drinking water available to residents on a daily basis by next year. After a more than two-decade effort to appease public officials for a green light on construction, the state Coastal Commission unanimously turned it down based on routine concerns over risks to marine habitat and “environmental justice.” The commission argued the energy-intensive process of desalination presented too much of a coastal hazard while raising local water prices.

California, the most populated state with the fifth most coastline of any in the nation, has 12 desalination plants in operation as drought worsens across the western United States. Less than 8 percent of the western U.S. excluding Colorado and Wyoming are under normal water conditions, which are both entirely rated at minimum as “abnormally dry” by the National Drought Mitigation Center.

Keep living in a bubble thinking that Democrats never cheat at elections

You remind me of some other punk who used to put his own words in people’s mouths like that. He was zotted late last year.

Since I’ve never said any such thing, it’s obvious you’re just stirring the pot.

That’s what trolls do. 🧌

"So we are in agreement then that Democrats cheat to stay in power in California"

To begin with, This is not the topic of this thread (I admit, sometimes I go off topic (OT), but it is on the same highway, usually music threads). This is NOT on the same highway.

I know Allegra well (for more than a decade, at least.. and we both have been to the same REAL battlegrounds (although about a decade apart))...
I am sure that any/all of us would agree about the Demoncrap situation, but you keep redirecting, and she is trying to stay on track.

IF you want to speak of the subject of, "Democrats cheat to stay in power in California", please do so in an appropriate thread, or make a new thread. (Obviously, I am not Admin.. but to be polite, "just do it".)

It is obvious to FReepers that you are sensitive about any thread about California... join the crowd 😶 ...
I see the same thing about RINO elected politicians in Texas every day. I admit they are there (and I know that Austin is the asshole of Texas, El Paso is an armpit, Houston is foot fungus, etc...)..

OT (Off Topic), I got a kick out of a post (not here, IMDB, I think), that was complaining about a new TV series that was VERY ANGRY about the negative image the TV series was giving Montana.
I LMAO and said (to myself, obviously, "now you know how it feels..")(I am from Texas, and I know how it feels for Hollyweird to make the populous of the state to look like we all have 12 IQ.

As for your thread off-topic complaint, I personally haven't followed your links, but I think that the majority of FReepers here agree that there was vote-fraud, not only in California, where you obviously are from, but across ALL states. I don't think Allegra, nor Jane Long would disagree there.

VK, do your job if necessary...

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.