If the Saudis can do it, why can't we?
The summer of 2007 was a tough one. No, I didn't lose my job or come down with some rare, incurable disease. Nor did I lose everything in the stock market or put on an extra hundred pounds. No, I ran out of water.
My reliable old agricultural well, that once pumped over 80 gallons of fresh, cool, sweet water each minute, suddenly began producing a paltry 8-10 gallons instead. Don't know why. Perhaps a lower water table, movement within the earth, too much demand, or the effect of inadequate rainfall in past years. Who can say for sure?
The lack of water had disastrous effects. I watched in horror as plantings began to wilt and, in many cases, die. My only salvation was the purchase of two 5,000 gallon water storage tanks that could be used to collect water during low use periods, while making it available in times of increased demand. For the time being, it's working.
Plans for a large vineyard came to a screeching halt. No point planting grapes if there's not enough water available during the hot months to keep them alive. Consequently, no major purchases from the local nursery and no new tax revenues for the state and local jurisdictions.
Perhaps, the whole experience gave me a better understanding of the seriousness of our current water crisis.
Perhaps, I understood just a little bit better what farmers and ranchers must be going through not knowing if they will be receiving the water required to sustain crops and livestock. Same for industries which need large amounts of water to support manufacturing processes. And let's not forget about developers trying to decide whether plans for new communities are supportable.
Unfortunately, things haven't improved since 2007. In fact, they've gotten worse. The drought continues, reservoirs are nearly empty and there's not much leadership coming out of Sacramento.
Could this impending catastrophe have been averted? Absolutely.
There's no excuse for the situation we now find ourselves in. We know life can't exist without water. We know our population is growing and demands for water increasing. We know droughts are inevitable. And, we've known for a long time current water supplies will not meet future demands. All this being said, I've seen no real progress towards a lasting solution.
We can live without high speed rail. We can live without new government buildings. We can live without new bridges and highways. We can live without stem cell research. We can live without seismic retrofits. We can not, however, live without water.
It's time for action. Delay's no longer an option. It never was. Enough of the political finger-pointing. Enough of the delay tactics by special interest groups. California's survival is at stake.
Construction of more dams and reservoirs makes sense. But, they prove useless in times of drought. No rainfall, no water storage. Negotiating increased supplies from neighboring states unlikely. Additional wells pointless with water tables falling and replenishment inadequate.
So, what's the alternative? Well, how about that big blue body of water called the Pacific Ocean?
According to water expert, Brent Haddad, an associate professor of environmental studies at UCSC, "As California's population and economy grow, it's just a matter of time until cities are forced to seriously consider desalination to extend their water supplies."
Haddad further explains, "In some parts of the world, from Saudi Arabia to the island of Majorca, they depend on desalination. With more than 7,500 plants operating worldwide, it is definitely a proven and reliable technology."
Saudi Arabia is now the world's largest producer of desalinated water with desalination meeting 70 percent of the country's present drinking water requirement, supplying major urban and industrial centers through a network of water pipes that runs for more than 2,300 miles. Several new desalination plants have recently been completed or are under construction, which will ultimately bring the final total to almost 30 such facilities in the kingdom.
It's time we got serious about solving our long-term water needs. Desalination could very well be the answer. Perhaps desalination facilities could be powered by solar energy or, better yet, let’s collocate nuclear power plants beside each facility and provide it with a clean, endless supply of energy.
Let’s be honest. Our water shortage crisis is a big problem and will take some out-of-the-box big thinking to get it solved once and for all.
Besides, if the Saudis can do it, why can't we?
