Submitted by MiloFrank76 t3_10paoln in explainlikeimfive
MissFred t1_j6jc8at wrote
I operate in the climate space but am not an engineer or expert in water resources. So remember that as I give my understanding. It is very expensive. It uses a lot of energy. And it changes the salivation of ocean water around it which probably is not a good thing. The salt must go somewhere. And it can mess with groundwater. It is a solution of last resort.
The primary and least sexy way to begin the fix is conservation in a serious way. No more golf courses. No more home lawns bigger than x. Make wicked sure agriculture is using water in a sensible way. This is very hard but crucial - tackle the water rights monster and make it realistic and sensible. And a culture change. If your clothes aren’t dirty you wear them multiple days before washing. No washing hair everyday. Maybe a shower every few days with quick ‘army’ cleanups everyday. I know this sounds weird or far fetched but it is these type of mind shift that will help us manage in days ahead.
MiloFrank76 OP t1_j6jn0z3 wrote
Thank you for this perspective.
todlee t1_j6m4e0n wrote
California has strict rules about discharge and pollution. And there are desal plants. Their brine — which they don’t want you to call brine btw — gets pumped into a pipe that extends far out into the ocean, and has lots of holes in it so the salinity is dispersed over a wide area.
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