Water more valuable than oil
November 18th, 2007 Categories: Real Estate News
“Oh father, we acknowledge our wastefulness,”.
As of this writing, the city of Atlanta, Georgia and it’s 5 million citizens have 64 days worth of water left. So bad has the problem become that the Governor, Sonny Perdue, led a prayer vigil on the steps of the capital asking for forgiveness for wastefulness and begging for a storm. “We have come together, very simply, for one reason and one reason only: To very reverently and respectfully pray up a storm.”
Carlsbad-The California Coastal Commission recently approved a permit for the construction of a desalination plant in Carlsbad adjacent to the Encina power plant. While unpopular with some environmental group, they have to know this will be a losing battle. The best strategy here is to make nice and become part of the process. I believe Surfrider Foundation is doing exactly that.
Surfrider Foundation has come out stating they are not opposed to desalination plants, but have issues with this particular system.
“Desalination is a hot topic with the current drought we face and less imported water available next year. Please remember that Surfirder is not against desalination in general, we just demand that it is done properly with the best technology available along with limited or no environmental impact. That is where the proposed desal plant in Carlsbad to be run by Poseidon Resources Corp. falls short. This project would be the largest and most damaging ocean desalination facility in the western hemisphere and should not move forward if we want to improve the health of our coastal areas and ocean water quality.”
They also refer to this same position stating “it does not utilize the “best technology available”, but I can not find anywhere where they educate the reader as to the what better technology being used is. They do have a great article on this topic and I strongly agree with a couple, but not limited to, these excerpts.
If the water produced from desal is used to reduce our reliance on imported water and more water then ends up being retained in water source areas to help sustain the environment there, then desal may produce a net environmental benefit. If, on the other hand, the water not taken from these rivers is diverted to other users and the river doesn’t benefit, desal may not result in a net environmental benefit. And if the desal plant fuels new growth along the coast rather than just replacing imported water, it may contribute to environmental degradation. This question of whether water is for “replacement” or “new source” is at the heart of the question of
“growth inducement.”
To me this is a no brainer. The new water should replace a source and the source should benefit. However, I will admit here and now, that I would be smoking crack if I thought this really will be the case. First, more building will take place because the thought that the Pacific Ocean is huge and we can always build another plant will permeate the governmental minds. Additionally the water coming out of the Colorado for our region will just finally go to Nevada to irrigate lawns in Las Vegas. Nevada has never taken their full allotment because we, Californians, were using it.
As with any social choice, the determination to implement desalination facilities should be compared with other alternatives. Some of the possible alternatives include improved water conservation and greater implementation of wastewater reclamation.
I know we are all probably aware of the purple landscape sprinkler and irrigation boxes that signify reclaimed water used to irrigate landscaping, but I am talking toilet to tap here. We have the technology to turn all those flushes back in to the very water that will create the next flush. Sound disgusting? Not to me. I will gladly trust the technology that transfuses blood in time of medical necessity and I will galdly trust the technology to help me save the San Diego region I love.
Believe it or not, this was first reported on by CNN in April of 1997.
If all goes according to plan, by the year 2001, the city’s sewage water will be treated and recycled right into the
drinking tap. “This project is the first of its kind in California,” said Ken Weinberg of the San Diego Water Authority. “We are taking reclaimed water, which is essentially treated waste water, and bringing it back to the point where it is suitable for drinking.”
Imagine how far along we would be if we could have just gotten that first of the morning flush out of our collective heads.
Estimates for the average daily water consumption per person in the US to be 80–100 gallons with the largest use on toilet flushing and bathing/hygiene. There will come a time when we will have to use this technology and the sooner the better.
Over the coming weeks, I will visit this discussion with more specific information, some ways to help conserve water and offers to consumers in the way of rebates to help with your conservation.
If it wasn’t for water, southern California would just be a desert.
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[…] formally declared a statewide drought and while rationing has not yet begun, it does look large. Currently Carlsbad is in the process of building a desalinization plant on the site of the Encinas power plant and I […]
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